Shower Reality
by RebeccaEvansBehr
Summary: AU. Max. Liz. And a shower. That pretty much sums it up, so if you want to know more I'm afraid you'll have to read... You maybe just need to know that in this one Liz and Maria are not best friends with Alex.
1. Chapter 1

**Author:** Rebecca

**Title:** Shower Reality (or _Show her reality_ depending on how you want to see it.)

**Category:** Max and Liz. AU. No aliens.

**Rating:** M

**Disclaimer:** In my dreams, everything is mine, including Jason Behr ... in reality... sigh... well, I'd rather not think about it... I've never really been a down to earth person anyway! Being a DREAMER is so much more fun

Slamming the door behind her, Liz Parker stomped inside the girls' changing room, cursing all the way to her locker.

Damn Tessa Harding. _Damn her_, she could say it a million times and she still would have not said it enough. If it weren't for her, she would have been out of there and home a long time ago, like anyone else. But no, that little witch had to pull another one of her dirty pranks on her.

She was so fed up with her. With all of this in fact. So tired of always being the butt of the rest of the team's stupid little jokes. If it weren't because cheerleading was something she actually enjoyed doing, she would have given up a long time ago, because let's face it, no matter how unfair it could be, the cruel reality was that even after almost a year with the cheerleaders, she was still considered an outsider by most of them, all because their captain hated her with a passion Liz had never even been able to understand so far.

Of course there was no love lost between the two of them, and Liz could honestly say that coming from Tessa and her bunch of stupid minions, it wasn't really so surprising, but as far as she was concerned that was not reason enough to be locked up into the equipment room for almost an hour. Nothing could justify that.

She should have been more clever this time though. She should have known something was off when Tessa and Courtney Banks had offered to help her put everything away after practice. She should have understood that there was no goodness in those girls and that there was necessarily something behind their sudden willingness to help and their pretended good intentions.

It had taken her to hear the click of the door being locked behind her and their evil mocking laughs however to realize just how stupid she could be herself sometimes. But at least she could use the excuse that she was spending too much time with them and they were starting to rub off on her as well apparently. What was theirs since they were always like that?

_She_ could never be so cruel though, no matter what, she at least knew that. Yet she had no doubt that if Mr. Rodriguez, the janitor, hadn't passed near the premises while she was screaming at the top of her lungs for someone to come and get her out of the damned place, she would have probably spent the night in there alone, and Tessa would have certainly not lost sleep over that fact, that was for sure.

She and the West Roswell High biggest tramp had never gotten along, that was actually an understatement, but this time Tessa had really gone too far and she would have to pay for this, Liz promised herself as she pulled her shirt over her head and kicked off her shoes.

As she tried to find something that could really hit Tessa where it hurt, she wiggled out of her skirt, and once she had gotten rid of her undergarments she gathered her shampoo, her hair conditioner and everything else she would need, and stepped inside the large common shower stall.

Her parents would probably wonder where she was and what she could be doing since she usually went home directly after practice, but after her little misadventure, she couldn't care less. A shower was just what she needed, and she had every intention to make a long one out of it, she thought as she turned the tap on and stepped under the not even tepid yet water.

She deserved that much after this, and soon Tessa would get what she deserved as well. And more.

Now in any other case or if it had been any other girl, Liz would have just gone for what she desired the most but had never managed to have so far, but she knew all too well that this would be like completely impossible with that blonde ho'. If Tessa wasn't able to get it, who was she to pretend she could, huh? And that wasn't even a matter of not really wanting it as well, because God knew she did herself. She had motivation and yearning in spades for that, she was just lacking in some other departments.

Liz wasn't ashamed to admit that, at least to herself. She would probably not say it out loud though. She would even go so far as denying it openly if anyone confronted her, but the truth was that the main reason she still put up with all the crap she was forced to go through regularly despite everything, could take up in two words. Max. Evans.

Ah, Maxwell Donovan Evans. Captain of the school football team, who trained just at the same time she did and who she could spend her life watching.

There would be so much to say about him that she could probably write a book and make it a best-seller. And believe it she would just need to put a picture of that guy in the front cover to make sure the sales exploded. He had enough charisma for that. But if Liz had to sum it up, she would just say that Max Evans was one of the most gorgeous men she had ever seen. A tall, dark-haired, amber-eyed mystery every girl wanted to solve. Manliness and sexiness all combined in one to reach perfection, and… well, she could go on and on, and on about all his qualities. He was simply beautiful from the inside out, even if she had never really had the opportunity to verify that for herself. It was just something she instinctively knew. Sensed. You just had to look at him to know that much.

Max Evans was in fact every girl's fantasy become reality, hers included. He was the modern version of that Prince Charming every little girl dreamt about when they were young and their illusions about the world and the way it worked were still untainted. But most of all he was the love of her life, even if he didn't know that, probably never would, and what was more definitely wouldn't care.

Squeezing a generous amount of shampoo into the palm of her hand, she proceeded to lather her long dark mane, as she took a walk down memory lane. Once more.

She could still remember clearly the day she had realized she was in love with Max Evans. Or rather the day she had acknowledged that fact because if she was honest, part of her had always known it was him.

It was the first Saturday night off they had had in more than a month, her father, the proud owner of one of the only local restaurants, having scheduled them to work every one of them till then, and she and Maria, her best friend, had actually planned to go and see the last Josh Harnett's movie at the drive-in theater.

Of course they had been excited to go but beside their usual cries and giggles when Josh had appeared for the first time on the screen, everything had been really normal. Or at least it had been until Maria had felt the sudden urge to pee, and after making her promise to pay extra-careful attention and tell her everything she would miss afterwards, had left her alone in the car.

Now Liz had not minded at all since there were several vehicles around Maria's and everyone seemed to be concentrating on the movie anyway to really pay attention to her. But when she had realized that Maria was really taking too long in the bathroom, she had started to get worried.

At first she had given her a few more minutes, thinking that maybe she had stopped on her way back to buy something, or maybe just met someone when coming out and that she would be back soon, but when there was still no sign of her about another good five minutes, she had locked the car and left in search of her.

After trying the bathroom first and seeing that she had already left, she had gone to the stands sure that she would find her there, but Maria was still nowhere in sight, which of course only increased her anxiousness. The craziest kind of scenarios had popped into her mind then, one more terrific than the other, but still she hadn't been prepared for the reality, sure that she was only overreacting like she usually did when she was nervous.

She didn't remember what had compelled her to turn around then and go back to the girls' restroom once more before going back to her car, but just as she was making her way there, she had heard Maria's unmistakable angry voice, and she had almost immediately run in that direction.

She had been stopped in her tracks however when she had noticed two guys she recognized as belonging to East Roswell High School trying to drag Maria to their car. They had obviously been drunk as far as she could tell by the way they had slurred and kept telling her that it wasn't very nice to not want to share her candies with them, but once the first shock passed, she hadn't given a damn about their reasons. She could see Maria's frightened face though she tried to appear brave and fought against them, and that had been the only thing she could think about.

She didn't know anymore what had been going through her mind then, or what she had planned to do, if she had planned anything of course, but she hadn't even taken two steps in their direction that one of them had spotted her, brought the attention of his friend on her and ruined the element of surprise, however slim it had been.

'_Look what we have here, another sweet treat_,' one of those pigs had said when seeing her, and she had barely refrained from rolling her eyes at the stupidity of the sentence. Whoever had assured the guy that he could have any girl with something like that obviously didn't know women very well and surely didn't score!

She hadn't really felt threatened at first considering their state and all, but when she had seen them advancing to her then and noticed that as always whenever you needed a hand, there was never anyone around, that was when she had started to panic slightly. The parking was completely deserted at that moment of course, and she would have actually considered running for help if it weren't for the fact that she hadn't wanted to leave Maria alone, but in the end she hadn't even needed to.

A tall figure had stepped in front of her, shielding her from them and when she had heard him ordering them to let go of Maria and had recognized whom the voice belonged to, she had instinctively known that she had nothing to fear anymore. She had been sure right then and there that Max would not let anything happen to them.

Liz had known he was there, too, before that of course, since she and Maria had seen him arriving with his sister a moment ago, parking his old jeep not too far from their car actually, but she had no idea how he had known they were in trouble now, or even where he had been coming from. He had just appeared out of nowhere and before they could even really think about what could have happened, it was already over, fortunately.

Though she knew Max wasn't exactly the type to throw the first punch, those guys, as brave as they had looked a minute ago, didn't seem to want to mess with him or be the firsts to start a fight with the Captain of the West Roswell football team either, and so after promising them that this wasn't over and that they would see them again soon, they were gone.

Liz was actually impressed with Max's ability to scare them off so easily since only one of his looks had been enough to make them run away like frightened rabbits, but she wasn't utterly surprised. There was something about Max Evans that even when you hated him, you couldn't not respect him or even sometimes fear him for all that.

Well, normally. _She_ could never be afraid of him though. Just incredibly intimidated.

At that moment, even Maria who usually could talk a storm had been left speechless as well, probably because she had been more scared than Liz had had time to be herself, but once she had found her voice again, she of course couldn't thank Max enough.

That was actually when the strangest thing happened. Almost completely dismissing Maria once he had made sure she was really alright, and after repeating about a million times that there was nothing to thank him for, he had turned to her and had asked her if _she_ was okay. How ironic when they had not even really had time to come anywhere near her. Thanks to him.

So yeah, it could seem stupid to hold on such an insignificant question, but some times Liz could swear she could still feel the brush of his fingers on the soft skin of her elbow where he had touched her when he had asked. That and the jolt of electricity that had accompanied it and had set on fire all her nerve endings at that moment.

She remembered that her eyes had shot up to his face then and her breath had gotten caught in her throat at the sight. She remembered wondering how she could have gone all her life without realizing just how truly beautiful Max Evans could be, and how amazing his eyes could look. But most of all she remembered the true expression of concern on his perfect face and the way his eyes had never once left hers, like she was the center of his universe and he would only breathe again once he would be absolutely sure she was indeed okay.

Still now she was convinced that they could have easily spent the entire night just losing themselves into each other's eyes if it weren't for Maria coughing near them and pulling her out of whatever fantasy land her thoughts had suddenly taken her to.

And at that moment it had been obvious to her that Max had not been able to control his reactions more than she had been, if the blush tainting his cheeks then and that had surely matched her own had been any indication. Or even the way he had stuttered a barely audible '_that's great… g-good_,' before informing her that he should better go because his sister was probably waiting for him.

She had watched him leave without saying a word, but she had known then that she wouldn't look at Max Evans the same way ever again, because in the two minutes he had been standing near her, he had managed to do something she had always thought impossible till that instant: he had captured her heart… and then run away with it. Just like that, after nothing more than three words and a look.

It was not surprising then if she had barely been able to walk back to the car, and even less to act like nothing had happened, but the task had been made even more difficult with Maria rambling on and on about what she would have done if Max hadn't arrived precisely at that instant.

Still, that wasn't what had marked her the most. No, Maria had been full of praises for Max and what he had done, sure, but most of all she had made hers the mission of trying and convincing her that Max had probably not been there only by chance. She was certain herself that it was not because of _her_ persona or because he had been observing _her_, but more because every time he was around he couldn't take his eyes off _her best friend_ and that he had most likely followed her there when she had come looking for her.

Liz had found that ridiculous of course, but Maria hadn't wanted to hear about it, going so far as saying that he had probably not done it for her anyway or because he feared they could really hurt her, but more because of _who_ she was, that is Liz Parker's best friend.

Liz knew she couldn't be more wrong however, because Max just didn't seem like the type to sit down and watch when something got wrong. Therefore she was sure he would have done just the same for any girl who would have found herself in such a situation. Yet she had to admit that when Maria insisted that it couldn't be just a coincidence he had been there when she needed him and moreover when it was obvious he hadn't come to buy anything or use the restroom himself, she was half-tempted to believe her.

What had gone wrong then and why was she so helplessly in love with someone who not only didn't know it yet, but probably wouldn't care anymore now, if he had ever of course?

Well, the answer was easy. Serena Lawson and Kyle Valenti happened.

Now if she had any advice to give all the women out there, she would say never, _ever_ make any decision when you were depressed, angry at the world and heartbroken because you would always end up doing a very stupid thing and regretting it afterwards. Believe it, she could talk by experience.

After that night and the little shy smiles they had started to exchange, and after realizing that she would do about anything to get to know Max, she and Maria had been racking their brains to find a way for her to go and talk to him without looking like an idiot or like she was suddenly going to start and stalk him, and after many efforts and stupid ideas as well, they had surprisingly come up with what they had been sure was the perfect plan.

Liz was supposed to go to him and tell him that they had truly appreciated what he had done for Maria and that to thank him, they wanted to invite him and his friend Michael for dinner. Easy, right? And that way they would get a real opportunity to talk and she would see if he was interested as well. Michael of course was only there for _security_, since Maria was sure that Max would be too shy to accept to spend an evening with two girls he hardly knew at all, and so he would surely be more at ease with a friend there, too. Besides, the fact that Maria was finding Michael rather attractive wasn't unpleasant either naturally, and with that settled they were sure that everything would work out for the best.

Only their perfect plan was definitely not after all, and they had surely not counted on external forces to come and screw everything up. Liz had chickened out one too many times, and by the time she had finally worked up the nerve to go and talk to him it had already been too late. She had merely been a couple of hours from taking that huge step, only waiting to actually come across Max in the school hallways to finally talk to him, when she had heard the rumor that changed everything.

Serena Lawson and Max Evans had been caught in a heavy make out session in the eraser room. And everyone knew that making out in that room didn't only consist in a few kisses. Far from it. There were tongues, hands, and what else involved in there.

At first she hadn't wanted to believe her ears of course, not just because she had felt like her heart would just shatter into a million of tiny little pieces if the rumor were indeed true, but mostly because that just seemed so unlike Max that she had been sure there had to be a misunderstanding somewhere.

But after hearing it about half a dozen of times, what could she do besides facing the truth? Max Evans was obviously one more of those guys who only went for big breasted blondes and who was she to compete with that, huh? That was the only conclusion she could come to then.

Now if she hadn't been so disgusted to the point of getting physically sick at the thought of Max's lips anywhere Serena, maybe she would have learnt the truth sooner and things would have turned out differently, but she had missed the two most important school days of her existence and that changed her life for what she was sure would be forever.

She couldn't remember exactly how everything had happened, the only thing clear in her mind actually being that during those two short days she had certainly cried more than ever in her life before, but by the time she was back at school she had a date with Kyle Valenti.

Now any girl with brain and a little of common sense would have known that that guy was the last one on Earth you should get involved with and even less trust, but she had been so desperate then than when he had cornered her at the Crashdown and asked her out, she hadn't cared about a thing anymore and was ready to say yes to anything people asked her, as long as they would let her wallow in her self-pity and pain afterwards.

The next day in fact she had almost already forgotten all about it, when Kyle had come to her asking her if she was still in for a movie that same night and that was when she had heard the rest of the story.

It turned out that Max Evans had never been anywhere near Serena Lawson, but _Matt Stevens_ surely did, yet when she understood what the problem had been, Kyle was already looking at her with what she was sure could only be hope shining in his large blue eyes and she hadn't had the heart to tell him no. Even though she was also sure he was still wondering why hers were brimming with tears when she had given him her answer.

Of course the news of their date had spread faster than Tessa Harding's thighs and by the time she realized that she was making a huge mistake, there was no backing off. Besides, the damage had apparently already been done considering Max's attitude from then on.

The worst was that since she actually found out that she could enjoy Kyle's company and she knew all too well that he would never be able to break her heart, therefore she wasn't taking any major risk, one date turned into several and soon they were going steady. Well, more or less, because Liz didn't think they had ever been that serious about each other.

In any case, it was a stupid thing to do if you considered that she was in love with someone else, but when you had managed to convince yourself that you didn't stand a chance with said person -and she had succeeded quite well on that one- it didn't look so bad after all.

That didn't mean that she could stop herself from seeking Max out, if only with her eyes, because clearly asking her that would be like asking her to stop breathing, she just couldn't, but she had at least tried to be more discreet about her attraction for him and act like it actually didn't matter anymore. Only Maria was not fooled by her attitude.

Well Maria and Tessa, for a reason she couldn't understand though. One time, while she was still going out with Kyle, she had even confronted her.

'_Stop looking at him, you're only wasting your time… Do you really think he would go for a mousy flat-chested girl like you?_' she had told her as venomously as she could, and Liz had just stood there, with her mouth hanging open, wondering once more what she could have done to Tessa to cause such opened animosity.

It wasn't so much the fact that she had caught her that shocked her, but more that she had even dared comment at all. That surely proved the nerve of the girl and what type of person she was, didn't it?

No matter what, Liz knew that she would never be able to go to another girl and basically tell her that she didn't stand a chance with the boy she obviously liked. If only because it was not only totally unbecoming, but who was she to pretend she knew what could go on in anyone else's mind anyway?

Tessa didn't have that problem apparently however, but Liz shouldn't be surprised. After all she had more or less staked claim of Max Evans a long time ago and she knew she would stop at nothing to scare any girl who would just as much as think about approaching him or taking a chance. It wouldn't be a first and definitely not a last.

"_Slut!_" Liz muttered under her breath, remembering how many times that shameless hussy had thrown herself at Max or how many times she had claimed that she would be the first one to make him cave and that once he would know what being with a real woman was, he wouldn't be able to get enough of her.

Right, maybe in her dreams. The only thing that comforted her was the fact that Max had never given her the time of day, no matter how hard she tried to get his attention. That only reinforced her opinion of him in fact. She knew all too well that any other guy would have jumped at the opportunity to get to know Tessa better, and by better she meant _biblically_, but Max wasn't one of them apparently.

Liz had of course tried to act like she didn't care at all about what she could say, but nonetheless the words had hurt her more than she was ready to admit and had definitely stuck with her.

After all Tessa could be stupid all she wanted, but she wasn't completely blind. Though she was not as '_flat-chested_' as she said she was or wanted to make her look, what could she have to offer to Max that about half the girls of Roswell couldn't anyway, huh? She was nothing special, so why would he even bother to look at her twice?

Then again, as miffed as she had been by Tessa's remarks and everything else, Tessa and Kyle weren't the only reason she had stayed away from Max even once she and Kyle had broken up. Max himself had done his part.

Though it was really tentative, Liz had really thought that they could maybe get somewhere after the drive-in incident, or at least she had until the false rumor of his relationship with Serena had spread. They weren't talking per say, far from it, but every time he would see her, he would smile at her and maybe even mouth a soft '_hi_' sometimes, and that was enough to give her some hope. The couple of weeks it had lasted had actually meant the world to her, but all that changed when she accepted that first date with Kyle.

She hadn't seen Max the few days immediately after, and if she didn't know better she would have even thought that he had been avoiding her, but when she finally came upon him again, she had only needed one look at him to sense something was different.

It was as if unexpectedly they had taken a huge step back and returned to where they had been before that night. Or maybe even worse in fact because at least then he would still meet her eyes occasionally, but after that he couldn't even look at her, though Maria kept affirming that he still did stare when he thought no one noticed.

Liz didn't know what the matter was however. If he was just avoiding any contact with her because she was going out with Kyle and didn't want it to look like he was actually coming on to some other guy's girlfriend, or because seeing her with someone else actually hurt him like Maria suspected.

The main point anyway was that whatever the reasons, it had surely not helped the situation, if of course there was a reason behind his sudden strange behavior. After all, she could have read too much into those few smiles and only been deluding herself all the while. That theory seemed more reasonable actually if you considered that she had been single again for almost three weeks now and he had never tried to approach her in any way for all that.

Yeah, she knew, hard to believe, but after five months and she had not counted how many days, she had had an epiphany at last and told Kyle Valenti to get lost. Even harder to believe actually was that she had refused to listen to that inner voice that told her that everything she had been hearing about him during all the time she had been with him was true, and that for so long.

Fact was that Kyle had never treated her badly, that was not it, so apparently she had no reason to doubt him, but more than once she had found his behavior a little strange to be honest. If you didn't even count all the times he had tried to convince her that they were made for each other, and that usually people who felt that way tried to show their feelings in a more _physical_ way, there were also all those looks some different girl every time always seemed to give him after those long weekends he said he couldn't see her because he had too much to do.

Yeah, too much to do, right! Too _many_ would probably sum it up better, but as long as she hadn't had any solid proof of his unfaithfulness, she had preferred giving him the benefit of the doubt.

The list of his supposed conquests was long, she knew that but it wasn't until Maria had caught him shagging another one of those brainless bimbos West Roswell was all too famous for, on the couch of his living room, that she had accepted to finally face the truth. No need to say of course that the shock had been actually greater for Maria, who gone to look for her mother who was currently dating Kyle's father had stumbled upon the scene, but she wouldn't have had it any other way.

She would have probably not known how to react if it had been her catching him, but Maria had definitely taken care of that like it had to: Sally Whatever-her-name-was had been slapped silly by an infuriated Maria, called all the names in the book and would most likely never come near an already taken guy ever again, and Kyle probably still had some indelible marks of her heeled-boots somewhere in his right ass cheek.

Liz in the end didn't care one way or another about what had happened since she had never been naïve enough to truly believe that Kyle had suddenly become a saint just because he was dating her, but she surely regretted not having gotten rid of him sooner.

Anyway, all this was a long time ago and it wasn't as if she could do a thing to change the situation now. What was done was done and Kyle Valenti was only a page of history in her life, one that had never really mattered anyway and therefore one that was definitely not worth wasting her time remembering.

She had already wasted too much of it as it was and the water was slowly starting to turn colder, which meant that she had at least been under the stream a good ten minutes and had only managed to wash and untangle her hair in the meantime. She didn't know what to do to get back at Tessa either yet, but she realized that if she wanted to really enjoy the rest of her shower, she should better not think about her anymore right now. She would probably find something later on, and if not, she would just ask for Maria's help. If she couldn't herself, she would certainly come up with something.

Reaching for her vanilla soap, she started taking care of her body when her thoughts drifted back to Max. She wondered if he had already finished himself, knowing that the guys had been done with practice not so much longer before she had been allowed out of her momentary prison.

She still couldn't understand how they managed to not hear her when she was vociferating in there, but she guessed that with the distance and Coach Durham's all too famous shouts on top of everything, she could have cried herself to death and they would have still not heard a thing.

Nonetheless during all the time she had been locked in there, and that even when she had perfectly known it was absurd, she had still hoped that if any of the footballers had to come and rescue her, it would be Max.

She could perfectly picture herself throwing herself into his arms and kissing him senseless in thanks. That would have been the least she could have done, wouldn't it? Of course it would have been the right thing to do, but now that didn't mean that she had come any close to that with Mr. Rodriguez, only Max was worth of such gratitude on her part naturally.

He would have been shocked, that was a given, but maybe not enough to not answer back she hoped. Or even if he had not, she could always have passed that for a lapse of judgment on her part, an impulsive gesture only done in the heat of the moment. Yet again, this was only wishful thinking on her part… and one more opportunity that went up in smoke.

As she felt her own hands running along her sides, soaping her body up, she couldn't help wondering nonetheless if she would ever have the chance to know what it felt to be caressed by his hands. If their touch would feel that different from hers, or if they would ignite the same fire in the pit of her stomach hers did whenever she imagined he was the one stroking her skin.

How many times had she thought about him that way? She didn't know, she had lost count of them a long time ago, but sometimes she felt he had always been a part of her fantasies. She actually didn't remember anyone being able to make her feel any way remotely close to what he only could.

Of their own volition, her hands drifted to her firm breasts, cupping them gently and massaging the flesh briefly, then down her stomach to the place where she ached for his touch the most, and she found herself sighing softly at the instant and anticipated pleasure.

It was the sweetest caress really, but unexpectedly images of a dream she had had not so long ago popped into her mind and before she could stop the word from escaping her lips, she ended up moaning a name.

_His_ name.

She wasn't even aware she had said anything at all actually until she heard the audible '_oh, fuck_', the sound making her eyes fly open and her jaw hit the floor.

OH. DEAR. GOD.

**_Half an hour earlier._******

"Alright guys… that's enough!" Coach Durham shouted at the top of his lungs, announcing the end of practice much to many of the players' relief.

With the big confrontation with East Roswell coming this weekend, he had made them sweat even more than he usually did if that were possible and most of them had only one thing in mind now, getting out of there as fast as possible.

Max Evans wasn't one of them apparently however, if the way he seemed to drag himself out of the field was any indication. Practice was usually fun for him and definitely not a big deal, but today everything had gone wrong and if he had touched a ball it was only by sheer miracle, if he said so himself. Therefore he didn't really feel like hurrying and being ribbed by his co-players even more than he had already been.

Now if he could avoid the coach as well that would be even greater of course, but he hadn't even taken two steps out of the turf that he understood he wouldn't have such luck.

"Evans!" the other man called out to him and Max just knew he was going to have it now. The strange thing was he hadn't heard about it sooner actually, considering all the week he had played like a mere debutant, or at least like he had suddenly forgotten most of everything he had been taught so far.

"Yeah?" he stopped and answered, turning around to wait for him, but hoping he would be the only one to stay behind. The last thing he needed was to be humiliated or scolded like a little boy in front of everyone else.

"You were out of it again!… Should I ask the cheerleading squad to train somewhere else or at another moment to be sure you don't get too distracted by all those beautiful ladies?" Durham reprimanded him but though there was no real anger behind his words and he could actually sense the joke, Max didn't doubt that part of him was slightly annoyed by his lack of concentration lately.

He was wrong however. All '_those beautiful ladies_' as he put it, didn't impress him or distract him in the least. They didn't turn his head or affect him in any way.

Only one actually did.

Max could honestly say he nearly died the day his brown-haired beauty joined the cheerleaders a year ago and he had to see her almost every freaking day in that little tiny uniform, doing splits and whatsoever just in front of him.

To add that he had been surprised would be a major understatement as well given that she was actually the last person in the world he thought he would see joining the team. She was nothing like the other girls, mainly brainless bimbos who were so superficial and completely interested in his opinion, but he would lie if he said that part of him hadn't been elated when hearing the news. Or at least he had been until she had started practice.

If he had never paid any attention to what the cheerleaders could do at the other end of the field before like all his teammates had, he surely started from that point on, even when he knew it would impact on his playing.

After a month he had almost all her choreographies memorized, even if he had never thought it would be possible for him to remember any of those moves cheerleaders made. He could even tell what she was going to do before she even started doing it, and he almost constantly kept an eye on her and everything she did, even when he well knew he should concentrate on anything but her. But still, he had always managed to force himself to ignore her when he needed to so he could at least _act_ like he was actually into the game nonetheless.

It had become more and more difficult as the year progressed however, truly boarding on the impossible at times, and gradually her constant presence had taken its toll on him. Even more actually after he had rescued her and Maria at the drive-in that night a few months ago.

Still now he didn't know what had possessed him to follow her at that moment, maybe it was just because she had seemed so anxious he had just wanted to make sure she was alright, maybe it was instincts or just because he couldn't stay away from her, he didn't know but he surely didn't regret it.

What he did regret however, was to not have been more daring after that. How many times had he wanted to go and talk to her? And how many times had he chickened out? He couldn't even remember them, there had been _so_ many. But it had taken him to hear about her date with Kyle Valenti to realize just how stupid he had been. After all, if she was ready to go out with him despite his far from being flattering reputation, maybe she would have accepted a date with him as well, even if it maybe would have only been by pity.

The worst of all was that seeing her with someone else had not lessened his obsession with her for all that, quite the contrary in fact. If he thought of her about every minute then, he started thinking about her every second after that, always wondering why he had not talked to her sooner, why he had not simply tried to make her see what he felt. That when he wasn't thinking about what she could see in Kyle Valenti, or what he could do with her, _to her_ when they were all alone.

Knowing she was with that ass drove him insane, but instead of trying to do something about that, he had acted like a child, refusing to look at her from that point on, or show her, _them_, that this was killing him.

But being proud had never gotten anyone anywhere, he knew that now, and by the time he realized he was not doing himself a favor and was actually only ruining the tentative and fragile relationship they had -if exchanging a few smiles and soft 'hellos' could be considered a relationship of course- it had already been too late. He still caught her looking at him some very rare times, but it was just not the same, and during five months and seventeen excruciating long days, he had watched her with another man, all the while knowing that said man didn't deserve her, and cursed himself for his own stupidity.

Then one day when he was sure he would be miserable for the rest of his life and regret his foolish decisions for just as long, the nightmare ended… And another one started.

Ever since that day he had heard the guys making fun of Kyle because Liz had finally told _the dog to go back to his kennel_, like they said, he had been haunted by the same irrevocable truth. He would never have any chance with Liz if he didn't decide to take his fate into his own hands. The only problem was that he was so convinced that she would never give him the time of day and that he would never be good enough for someone as incredible as her that he had still not managed to move a single finger and he was slowly getting frustrated. Seeing her every day and chickening out every day as well, was seriously putting a strain to his patience, to his attention, to his sanity, to _everything_.

And the coach wondered why he couldn't concentrate anymore most of the days. Well, he was reaching his limit point, and Liz Parker was the reason why.

That and the fact that he was crazily, insanely, like-you-didn't-see-it-anymore in love with her and she probably didn't give a damn of course.

Nonetheless he didn't think that sharing that piece of information with the coach, no matter how important it could be to him, would help him in any way right now. So rather than having him telling him once more that nothing in this world should take his attention off the game and certainly not a woman, he hung his head low and tried to appear chagrined and ashamed of his own behavior.

Max highly doubted he would understand him anyway if he was to tell him how crazy Liz Parker could drive him, and that without even trying. That man had probably never cared about anything but his football games in his whole life.

"I'm sorry… I wasn't really feeling alright today… " he lied as he scratched his neck uncomfortably, sure that the coach would probably not believe him unless maybe he just suddenly started to puke in front of him. Which he would rather not force himself to do of course.

"Well… you have two days to get better then… you know I need you, Max… the team needs you… we can't let East Roswell win… and we can't beat them without our captain and best player!" the coach reminded him and Max tried his best to not cringe at the words.

Of course he was grateful for what he knew to be a compliment, but he would have definitely done without the added pressure considering he was already feeling bad enough as it was. He knew all too well how everyone, and more particularly the coach, was counting on him and that was what made the thing even more difficult.

Football had always been such a huge part of his life he had always thought he wouldn't be able to live without it, but the fact was that lately he just wasn't feeling the thrill anymore. He still enjoyed it as much as he did before, but he could tell that it was gradually becoming less and less important to him and that he could easily give it up if he had to now, thing that would have been completely unimaginable a couple of years ago for example. Simply put, he needed more.

Of course he knew that the end of his career wasn't just around the corner yet, but he was finishing high school and soon he would have to make some decisions and really consider what he wanted to do with his life.

There were things that were way more significant to him now and that mattered more than playing football. People, too, and Liz Parker was definitely one of them. Sooner or later he knew he would have to overcome his doubts and go for what he had always wanted, and what he wanted more than anything right now was her.

That was the only thing he could think about most of the time actually, and even more now that she was single again. No matter how stupid he knew it was, it was only fear that was still holding him right now and stopped him from going to her in fact. Fear of not knowing what to say. Fear of making a fool out of himself, but most of all fear of being rejected, and he hated himself for being such a coward sometimes.

"Yeah, I know that… but I'm sure I'll be okay by then!" Max affirmed as convincingly as he could, hoping that it would be enough to ease his worries and make him let him go already. Not that he minded the conversation that much, but if the coach started questioning him a little too much, there was a good chance he would just blurt out the truth and he wasn't sure the man would appreciate hearing it that much.

"I surely hope so… now go, I will see you tomorrow, okay?" the other man told him at last, unaware of the way Max all but sighed almost in relief when he heard him giving him the go ahead he had been waiting for.

"Sure… I'll be there!" he promised quickly before jogging to the entrance of the gymnasium, glad it had finally not been as bad as he had thought it would be.

He could hear the shower calling his name now and he wanted nothing more than just let the hot water pound his body and wash away the tension he was still feeling. It was little wonder then if he barely refrained from groaning out loud when he entered the locker room and saw all the showers already taken and about half the team still waiting to go.

Well, since he had no other choice, he should as well go and prepare his things in the meantime, he thought as he made his way to the far end of the room, doing his best to not draw attention on him though.

"So… who was it this time, huh?" he heard Alex Whitman, one of his best friends, ask him almost as soon as he joined him in front of their lockers. So much for going unnoticed, huh?

"Who was what?" he demanded absentmindedly, confused as to who he was referring to. He briefly wondered if Alex was asking about who had made him late, but he was sure he had seen the coach stopping him on his way in, so it didn't make much sense.

"You know… the girl who had you drooling all over yourself!" Alex elucidated, a strange gleam in his eyes.

This was the moment of truth, he just knew it. For he couldn't even remember how many months, he had tried to figure out who the mysterious cheerleader who had Max spacing out at least once during each practice could be, but so far his investigations had gotten him nowhere.

He had actually reduced his suspicions to three names now, Liz Parker, Candice Harrison and Jessica Davies, but after reaching that point he hadn't been able to decide between them, mainly because those three seemed to always be at the same place at the same moment, and always in Max's line of vision. But since he was kind of fed up of racking his brain in vain, he should as well ask directly now, shouldn't he? And this was as good a moment as any other.

"I don't drool!" Max refuted even when he knew he most likely did, only to realize afterwards that instead of denying that part, he should have probably said something more like '_I have no idea_ which girl _you could be talking about_'. And by the way Alex was smirking at him now, he had evidently caught on his mistake as well. Obviously to him it was by far the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.

"Sure, dude… and I actually stand a chance with your sis…" Alex all but snorted, shaking his head and giving him a look that seemed to say '_who do you think you're kidding here_?'

"My… _what_?" Max barely got out as he looked at Alex and tried to process what he had just told him.

Now he thought he knew his friend pretty well, but this?… was he trying to tell him that he could be more than interested in his sister Isabel? Not that it was that big of a news or a surprise to him considering that half the male population of West Roswell had pinned over her at one point or another, much to his disgust, but to learn that Alex was one of them as well was quite unexpected to say the least.

When had that happened, and how come he hadn't seen a thing? Guess the coach was right after all, he was out of it, in more way than one, and definitely more than he had first assumed.

He didn't have time to dwell too much on that new information however before they were interrupted by another voice.

"Leave him alone!" Michael joined the conversation and probably for the first time in his life, Max found himself grateful for his help. Or at least he was until he had to hear the rest of his sentence. "Max just needs to get laid before the big match and everything will be alright!" he declared mischievously, smacking him in the back for good measure.

What? Had he _really_ thought that Michael Guerin would be supportive for once, mind his own business and not try to seize the opportunity to humiliate him when he could? Right, when pigs would fly.

"Michael!" Max grunted warningly, trying to remember once more why he was friend with the guy. _Best_ friend actually. He must have been incredibly high the day that decision had been taken.

"Well… I'm sure that Tessa would be more than happy to spread them for him and let him work all his frustrations out if he just asked nicely!" Jordan King, one of the team's guys couldn't help but comment as he heard them, knowing that when anyone was feeling frustrated, Tessa Harding was the person to go to.

"And even if he didn't!" Sean Deluca chimed in, reminding those who could have forgotten it that _how_ you asked it had never been a problem either, Tessa was all too eager to satisfy everyone, which of course elicited another round of laughs and smutty remarks.

Max could only groan as he heard them discuss what he should and shouldn't do like he wasn't even there. Like that could happen anyway. Tessa Harding was all too well known for her lack of inhibitions, sure, but even if he weren't so in love with someone else, she would definitely not be a girl he would like to be associated with, even if she didn't seem to understand that point unfortunately for him. He couldn't even remember how many times he had tried, nicely and not so as well, to tell her there would be no way in hell anything could happen between them, no matter how hard she tried, but her persistence hadn't ebbed one iota for all that.

"Over my dead body!" he muttered before he could stop himself, and only realized he had voiced his thoughts out loud when the last person he wanted to deal with now took upon himself to give his opinion and join the fun.

Great, just what he needed. Not. Could his day get any worse?

"Is that so?" he heard coming from behind him, but barely spared the newcomer a sideway glance.

What did that idiot want him to say exactly? It was common knowledge among the guys that Tessa absolutely didn't do it for him, that was certainly why they were always teasing him with her, he shouldn't look like he was so surprised then, or like he had suddenly heard some major revelation.

"What?" Max just growled in answer, more because he knew that Kyle Valenti wouldn't stop anyway until he would have said what he wanted to, than because he really felt like engaging in any kind of conversation with the guy.

"Right…" Kyle drawled out, like Max hadn't even talked just two seconds ago. Not that he cared about what he had to say anyway, the only thing he wanted was to tick him seriously off and he had a feeling he wouldn't need much for that. "I keep forgetting… you're more into short, dark-eyed brunettes, aren't you, Max?"

"Whatever!" Max mumbled dismissively, basically showing Kyle that he had no interest talking to him, but that guy had never been able to get a clue and understand when he was not wanted somewhere, why would today be any different, huh?

"No, go ahead, Evans… why don't you tell everyone here who really grabbed your interest today again, because it was certainly not the game… tell them who keeps making you play like an ass and compromise our chance in the Championship, huh?" Kyle insisted like Max hadn't just snubbed him in front of everyone, each word dripping with more venom than the last one.

If he didn't hate him enough already before, he sure did now. He hated everything the guy represented in fact.

Max Evans didn't deserve all the praises he received. He didn't deserve the title of captain of the team either, he had always known that. It should have gone to him, he deserved it way more, there was no doubt in his mind, but the coach was a pigheaded idiot who would never recognize his mistake. However this had lasted long enough, and if that old stupid man couldn't see it, Kyle would show the truth to the rest of the team.

They were always so proud of their perfect captain. Always so ready to defend and excuse him even when everyone could see he messed up. What would they think if they knew why they had nearly lost their last match, and why they would probably lose the next most important one as well? How would they react when they would understand that this was all about a girl? A girl Max had no right to even think about. Not when he had done his best to keep them apart.

If he were honest, he could admit that the main reason he had tried to have Liz Parker himself at first, beside the fact that he had always thought she was one of the most beautiful and interesting girls of West Roswell, was because he had noticed Max's interest a long time ago. He would have probably not tried his luck otherwise, sure that she would never pay attention to someone like him anyway. But much to his surprise, she had accepted the first date, and the next one, and the next as well, even if how they had managed to last so long was still a mystery to him actually.

He was not stupid however, and definitely not blind either, and he would have to be both to not realize that the reason Liz had actually said yes to him had only been because he had caught her at a bad moment, and it was all too evident to him why she hadn't been in any state to refuse that day. Just like the rest of the school, he had heard about Serena's latest trip to the eraser room and who she was supposed to be with, though he had never believed any of it was true, and he had used that to help his cause.

His plan had nearly backfired the next day when Liz had learned the truth however. He remembered all too well that look on her face that screamed '_god, what have I done_?' when she had heard Pam Troy saying that she had always known that Max would have never gone anywhere with that idiot of Serena, but of course he had chosen to ignore it, because there was no way he would have renounced at that point. Not when he was so close to finally get his revenge on Max Evans.

To this day he was still convinced that it was only her kind nature that had led her to keep her word and of course he had played on that, knowing all too well what kind of person she was. The puppy dog face and the hopeful eyes had done the trick even if he knew it hadn't been fair. He hadn't really cared then in fact, he just wanted to get back at Max and steal something that mattered from him, just like he had done himself on so many occasions.

And it had worked. He had noticed the looks Max gave them every time they were together even if he thought he was being subtle then, and he knew all too well that it had never been only coincidence if Max always seemed to find himself near Liz whenever he was not around. Just because he didn't see him then didn't mean that he didn't hear about it.

Nonetheless, it hadn't bothered him that much at first, on the contrary, because it felt kind of good to be able to rub into his face the relationship he obviously envied. He liked knowing that for once Max could be jealous of him, but after a while even that was not satisfying enough. Not when he knew that said relationship was only a masquerade and was nothing to be envied.

Of course he and Liz were no Romeo and Juliet, though Liz usually acted her part and everyone believed they were good together, but as good an actress as she thought she was, she had never been able to hide her attraction to Max and how much she yearned to be with him. Just like he did.

Too many times he had noticed the looks they gave each other when they thought no one was seeing them, the only ones being oblivious to that and what was going on being actually themselves, though Kyle couldn't understand how was that possible. How could they be so ignorant of the reality?… even if there was no saying it had worked for the best for him.

If they could see what he saw, he didn't doubt for a second that they would have already acted on their feelings, and that long ago, but none of them seemed to realize that their obvious attraction was mutual, or even want to change a thing.

Until recently at least. Kyle had a feeling Max wouldn't hold back much longer now. Something was different, he could see it, and because of that he already knew he wouldn't content himself with just staring at Liz from afar indefinitely. He would actually go and talk to her, and then everything would be screwed up for him. Not that he was still interested in Liz in any way, but he would be damned if he let those two get together after all that had happened.

"What the fuck is your problem, Valenti?" Max snapped his locker shut upon hearing his insinuations, and finally turned fully to him. He better not start him on a certain topic again or this would end up badly.

The last thing he needed was Kyle Valenti talking to him about Liz, but he could already sense that the other guy wouldn't be able to stop himself, if only to have the pleasure to see him losing his cool.

He didn't know how Kyle had been able to figure out what no one else could apparently, and it wouldn't be the first time Kyle tried to make him react to his stupid taunting, but if he had managed to ignore him so far, he was so definitely not in the mood today. No, absolutely not in the mood.

"Since you're asking… _you_!" Kyle snarled, taking a few steps to stand just in front of Max now.

It didn't matter that the other guy had a few inches on him, he didn't impress him in the least. He had had it with him and today was the day it ended. And he knew exactly where to hit to make it hurt. "I don't like you, Evans… I don't like the way you fuck everything up lately… but most of all I don't like the way you look at _her_… and now that we're at it… neither does she!"

As expected the rest of the team had by then gathered around the two of them and were waiting with anticipation to see what would happen next, even when they still didn't have any clear idea of what was really going on.

Except for the obvious of course. This was apparently about a girl.

Now Max Evans was not exactly known for his impressive list of conquests, none of them having actually seen him with a girl before, even if there was no need to say that it was certainly not because he couldn't: with his looks, he could probably have any girl he wanted and it wasn't as if he lacked opportunities either, he just seemed to not care at all, but Kyle was definitely another story.

He had had so many of them, including half the cheerleading squad, that no one was even sure who he was talking about, but whoever that girl was, Max apparently knew her, knew exactly who Kyle was referring to, and the shorter guy had obviously hit a nerve when he mentioned her.

They all saw something switch inside Max's eyes, saw how he fisted his hands at his side, but as quickly as it had gotten there, it disappeared and the next second they weren't even surprised to see him smirk down to the other man. If Max Evans was famous for something after all, it was for the way he always seemed to be able to control his emotions. Or so they still thought.

"Isn't that only wishful thinking on your part?" Max demanded, thinking that if Kyle wanted to play he would give him a taste of his own medicine. And not surprisingly his smile grew even wider when he saw the corner of Kyle's mouth twitch nervously and his jaw set angrily.

"C'mon, Kyle, admit it… she dumped you like you were yesterday news and you just can't stand it!" he continued, pleased beyond belief to see that he was obviously getting to him.

That was all it was about apparently. Liz and the fact that they weren't together anymore. What he didn't understand however was what it could have to do with him or why Kyle seemed to hate him even more than before if that were possible ever since then. After all it wasn't as if Liz had dumped Kyle for him, so why he seemed to even care so much about whatever feelings he could have for Liz -not that he was going to confirm them to him or anyone else- or how much time he could spend looking at her when they had never even really talked to each other so far, made no sense to him. But that didn't mean he couldn't take advantage of his obvious insecurities.

"What? Afraid I could give her what you couldn't?" he suggested, though talking that way about Liz when she wasn't even present disgusted him more than he was ready to admit.

He could already anticipate how everyone was going to take such a sentence, but he would think about that himself later. Right now he just wanted to show Kyle that he didn't have the upper hand like he obviously thought he did. No matter what he could say, Max wouldn't take it at face value because it was evident that whatever Liz could feel for him, her ex would probably be the last person in the world she would confide in. It actually only proved to Max just how jealous Kyle could be of him, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered trying to make him think Liz minded the fact that he was all too often looking at her. If that point was indeed true, Max doubted Liz noticed at all anyway, considering he had always been extremely careful and had always done his best not to be caught. At least by her.

Max knew he had made a point when he saw Kyle's nostrils flare in anger, but what he had certainly not expected however was to see him recover so nicely and actually react so fast.

Now he prided himself on his control and he could usually take any insult Kyle could throw his way. He could do with his constant superior tone and his stupid little insinuations no matter how twisted they could be, but what he could really _not_ tolerate was to hear him badmouth Liz or downright insult her in any way in front of him.

"Hey, if you like to go for sloppy seconds… go ahead, because that's all she is now!" Kyle threw his hands up like in conceded defeat and flung back slyly after only a brief moment of hesitation.

He would lie of course if he said that Max hadn't hit a nerve himself, but there was no way he would let him see that, no matter how right he could be. Max had obviously something he had not been able to give Liz, whatever the hell that could be, otherwise she wouldn't have been pinning over him all the time they had been together.

He also knew that what he had just said was unfair to Liz and that she would probably hate him even more than she surely already did if she ever heard about it, but he couldn't care less right now. All was fair in love and war, and right this instant the only thing that mattered to him was to make Max Evans swallow back that stupid smile he was giving him. And he was quite proud of himself when he realized just how successful he was.

Gone was Max's calm façade now, and anyone present would have to be completely blind to not understand that things were about to get ugly. Max looked ready to blow a fuse and that couldn't be a good sign. At all.

Of course he knew that Liz had gone out with Kyle Valenti long enough for them to maybe reach that stage in their relationship, and that damned rat had insinuated more than once that he had _tasted the goods_, but hearing him declaring so, so offhandedly and so openly now was the last straw for Max.

"You bastard!" he growled, shoving him off forcefully before he could even realize what he was doing.

He who usually was the last one to encourage violence in any way felt like he wouldn't be satisfied until he would have beaten the crap out of that asshole. To hate him for no valid reasons was one thing, but to disrespect Liz in front of everyone else just to get back at him was the last thing he should have done, and he would understand that soon.

"What? Can't face the truth, Evans?… I got her first and _you_ can't stand it!" having gotten exactly the reaction he had been waiting for, Kyle couldn't help but add fuel to the fire no matter how stupid that could be. His problem had always been to know when to stop, though in this case he couldn't bring himself to regret it. At least not immediately. "She's a screamer you know! I'm sure you would have liked! Too bad she doesn't even care you exist!"

The instant the words escaped his lips, Max saw red and threw himself at the other guy, not caring about what the consequences of his actions would be.

"You fucking ass… you didn't deserve her… you _never_ did… bastard… you…" he spat out, his fist connecting with Kyle's jaw in the same second and making him stumble backward before anyone else could react. However before he could deal him another blow, he felt strong arms restraining him but immediately tried to free himself from the firm grip when he recognized who was holding him. What the hell was he doing? Shouldn't he be helping him instead of stopping him? "Michael? What the… let me go!"

"Hey, there… cool down, man… he's not worth it!" ignoring his protests, Michael tried to calm him down and refused to let him go no matter how much he struggled against him. He was surprised he still managed at all, however, when he saw Kyle straightening up and glare back at Max, his hatred now all too evident in his eyes.

Contrary to what he could have thought though, Kyle didn't even try to retaliate, knowing that for once his words would hurt more than anything else at this point.

"Maybe… " he started as he brought his fingers to his now split lip and noticed the blood, then with deliberated slowness licked the wound and announced even more spitefully. "… but believe me, she sure did _serve_ me right!"

If Michael had strived to hold Max back before, the task seemed almost impossible now and he was actually considering letting him lose so he could go and kick that idiot's ass -for there was no doubt in his mind that he definitely deserved it- when the hoarse voice of a now very pissed coach resonated in the room and everyone seemed to freeze on their spot, Max and Kyle included.

"Valenti! Evans! What the hell is happening here?" he asked angrily, stepping closer to the two guys, his imposing stature serving to put the necessary distance between the two of them.

Of course no one dared say a thing at first, but when he sensed his dark eyes on him, Kyle was finally the one to relent and answer, though his muttered '_nothing_' would have been barely audible if it weren't for the fact that everyone seemed to hold their breaths at that instant and wait for the moment when Durham would really lose it and give them a piece of his mind.

"Nothing!" Max parroted reluctantly when the coach turned to look at him, pinning him with the same disapproving glare he had given Kyle just a second ago.

Michael had long let go of him but his breath was still ragged and fury was still pulsating through his veins. If it weren't now, he would get back at Kyle for this later, but this was far from being over.

"How many times have I told you I won't tolerate this kind of behavior?!" the older man shouted like they hadn't even talked to him at all.

He wasn't stupid and even if he hadn't witnessed the whole thing, the little he had seen was enough to give him a clear idea of what had been happening between two of his best players before he arrived. Now he couldn't say that this was _that_ surprising coming from Kyle Valenti, but hearing Max spewing threats and colorful insults was definitely something he wasn't used to. He was half tempted to just let him go and deal with Kyle, sure that whatever had occurred was actually his doing only, but that didn't seem entirely fair considering he didn't have all the facts. Consequently when none of them seemed to want to talk and explain themselves, he yelled again, making even the bravest of the other players jump in surprise. Or was it fright?

"How many?"

"Too many!" Michael, never one to know when his opinion was not welcomed, coughed behind his hand, but almost immediately took a step back when the old man threw him one of his all too famous '_don't mess with me_' looks. Okay, maybe now was not the time to joke, but what a spoilsport that man always was!

A few snickers were heard at his remark but all too quickly died when they all understood that the old guy was definitely in no mood to endure their little games. Durham's eyes swept around the room, causing the few unfortunates who met his gaze to tremble in their shorts, and everyone was almost relieved then when he finally addressed again those who had really started all this.

"Pull something like this again and you're both out!" he promised them once he was sure he had everyone's attention, and even though they all knew he would rather give up on training than getting rid of Max and Kyle for whatever reason that was, they couldn't miss his dead serious tone either. Fact that was only confirmed when he turned to Michael as well.

"And you might just join them, Guerin, if you don't learn when to shut up!" he added meaningfully before turning around at last and marching back to his office, missing the way Michael saluted him mockingly on his way out however.

God, those kids were going to be the death of him one of these days. He _so_ needed a drink now.

"I'm out of here anyway!" Max muttered angrily when he noticed all the eyes still on him, sure that if he didn't leave right then, he wouldn't until he would have beaten Kyle 'Asshole' Valenti to a bloody pulp.

Without waiting for anyone to answer, he grabbed his things, slammed the door of his locker behind him once more and exited the room, leaving behind him a very confused Alex.

"Who the hell were you guys talking about?" he asked Kyle almost as soon as Max was out of sight.

If he put all the elements he had now together, he knew that Candice Harrison was out of the game apparently given that obviously whoever Max was head over heels in love with was one of Kyle's ex and as far as he knew she was the only one who had never gotten out with him, but for the life of him he couldn't decide between the last two.

Jeez, not knowing was slowly killing him, moreover since considering Max's so unexpected and violent reaction, that girl really had to be something and must have done quite a number on him.

So Liz Parker or Jessica Davies.

Jessica Davies or Liz Parker.

Tough choice, and of course the only one beside Max himself who had the answer was just being his usual mean self and refused to cooperate.

"No one!" Kyle grunted and turned his back to him, not caring more about Alex Whitman now than he had ever before.

The only one in his mind was Max Evans. They weren't finished yet. Not by a long shot.

Outside the locker room Max took deep cleansing breaths, hoping it would be enough to calm him some down, but it didn't seem to help him in any way. He was so infuriated, it was honestly only by sheer willpower that he resisted the urge to go back inside and just be done with Kyle Valenti once and for all. Yet he knew that in the end, it wouldn't solve anything.

No matter how much he hated the guy, beating him up would get him nowhere, and would only give him a mild and all too short satisfaction. Afterwards, Kyle would still be the guy he had to see going out with Liz. He would still be the one who treated her like no woman should be treated.

Max had always more or less figured he had only been using her, the only one not realizing just how much being probably Liz herself, but hearing him admitting that out loud and in front of the whole team no less, like she didn't matter at all and was just another insignificant name among the long list of the girls he screwed and left, that was what hurt him the most because Liz Parker was certainly the person who deserved it the least.

Still, taking care of Kyle and making him swallow up his teeth like he so wanted to right now wouldn't change a thing to what he had done to Liz. Just like getting kicked out of the football team just because of him wasn't worth either if he really thought about it.

In the end he guessed he could only be glad that she had opened her eyes eventually, even if now he had the certitude that it had still been too late. He didn't know though what disgusted him the most, having finally the confirmation that she was another notch on Kyle's bedpost, or realizing that it meant even less to him than he had first assumed.

God only knew how many times he had wished for a chance to be that close to Liz and have the opportunity to cherish her, but Valenti had been where he had always wanted to be and hadn't even been able to realize what a treasure she could be or how lucky he was she had even spared him a second glance. Life was definitely unfair!

His hands were still trembling slightly and his head still fogged with murderous plans when he passed near the girls' locker room. Now he would have certainly laughed out loud or thought he was going crazy suddenly considering the thoughts that crossed his mind at that moment, but for once he couldn't care less. He knew that the cheerleaders' squad had finished practice a long time ago, which meant that by now none of them would still be around, and since taking a shower was the only thing he knew would help him after his altercation with Kyle, he didn't even think about it twice.

Carefully he opened the door and after making sure the coast was clear, he quickly entered and closed it again behind him. Just to be sure nonetheless, he announced his presence and was relieved when no one answered him back.

He knew all too well how much trouble he would be in if he was caught but if it meant not having to go back and wait for his turn in the shower in the guys' locker room after such an exit, or even less having to go home all sweaty and sticky, he was willing to take the risk. Besides, this wasn't a first even if usually he wasn't alone, and nothing had gone wrong thus far. What would be different now, except for the fact that he had no one to be on the lookout for him?

He and Michael had used the girls' showers several times before already when they were in a hurry and didn't want to wait for everyone else to finish, one watching if anyone came while the other actually showered, so he was kind of used to this. He would just have to be more careful today since no one would be there to warn him if someone arrived. That was all.

With that in mind he hurried to the stall and as fast as he could, he discarded his clothes, hid them just in case, and then with a towel and his gel in hands, stepped inside ready for what he was sure to be the quickest shower of his life.

It felt kind of weird to be there alone this time nonetheless, because when no one else was there to witness it, he could let his thoughts wander to places he normally wouldn't let them go in anyone else's presence.

Now he couldn't help wondering if Liz hadn't used that same shower a moment ago when she had been sweaty herself after practice. What she would think if she knew he was there himself now, trying to catch a whiff of her so particular scent. That sweet combination of strawberry and vanilla that drove him wild whenever she got close enough for him to sense it. God, how he loved that scent.

He didn't smell anything in the air this time, maybe because she had probably showered a long time ago and her scent had long evaporated, but he could really recognize it, no matter how crazy that could sound.

He still remembered the last time he had come here with Michael, and how embarrassing for him that shower had turned out. That day Alex had gone with them as well, and while he was outside waiting for his turn, he and Michael had showered and everything had been normal, at least until Max had suddenly been hit by the strong strawberry-vanilla aroma that permeated the room and had ended up with probably one of the hugest boners of his still short life.

Of course it had taken Michael all but two seconds to notice, and never being one to let a good opportunity pass him by, he couldn't help but comment. Max was sure his face had never been redder in his whole life than when Michael actually told him that he hoped it wasn't _his hot body_ that was turning him on so much because he was sorry for it, but he didn't plan on being part of any fantasy that could go through Max's mind at that instant.

The worse part was he hadn't even really been thinking about anything special at that moment, beside the fact that he loved her smell, but then again, even thinking about Liz wearing a parka and Eskimo boots was enough to put him in an embarrassing state of excitation, so he shouldn't have been surprised.

Not more than he was to see that just recalling the event was enough to provoke the same type of reaction right now. He was painfully hard and even turning the water cold wouldn't help him in any way. Experience had taught him that. Whoever had said that a cold shower could _heal_ even the hardest ones, had obviously never been excited by Liz Parker. There was only one thing to do to get rid of a Liz-induced boner.

He wasn't ashamed in the least to admit he was actually considering taking the matter into hands, _literally_, his only worry in fact being to know if he would have time to finish without taking even more risks and being caught. What he didn't expect however was to have that decision taken away from him when he heard the locker room door being opened, the noise forcing him to squat down in a haste to avoid being seen, and that with barely any time to grab for his towel and cover his nudity.

That alone was bad enough in and of itself of course, but he honestly expected even less to see Liz Parker enter the stall a few minutes later. In all her naked beauty.

**TBC…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, sorry it took me so long to post the next chapter, but I've been awfully busy these last two months and barely seemed to have a minute for me… the last one should come quicker though! **

**Thanks Trude, Jenni78 and BlazingPhoenix29 for the reviews, I hope you'll like this chapter, too! **

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Heart beating a crazy tempo, blood pounding in his ears and jaw hitting the floor, Max stood there shell-shocked, desperately trying to remember how to breathe, what he was supposed to do for that, if he was supposed to do anything of course. Shouldn't that come naturally? Shouldn't he just open his mouth and feel his lungs filling with air? He didn't know a thing anymore.

It couldn't be. She just couldn't be here, he had to be dreaming because clearly something like this could only ever happen in one of those crazy dreams he often had about Liz, him, and what could happen between them if he ever found himself in such a situation with her.

God, what was he saying? He had never even '_dared_' dream about something like this because honestly he knew all too well that it was completely impossible, so why would he waste his time just thinking about it then?

What were the odds that he would end up in a shower stall, with Liz Parker gloriously _naked_, and himself half nude as well, huh?

And yet here she was! More beautiful than he had ever seen her. If she was a sight to behold when she was dressed, god, there was still no comparison with what she looked like when she was not. Nothing could have prepared him for the vision she was, and if it weren't for the wall behind him supporting his back, he was sure he would have toppled over and fallen flat on his ass from the shock.

She was just perfection personified. Yeah, perfect from head to toes, he thought as he observed her moves and saw her step under the water without really waiting for it to be warm enough.

His gaze drifted down from the luxuriant mass of long hair she was now wetting, to the roundness of her bottom, and all the way down her slender legs to her ankles and feet, and he knew Alex was right after all. He definitely did drool when he saw her!

His eyes caught something when she brought her hair up briefly and he smiled when he saw the small tattoo on her back. He would have been surprised if he hadn't already known she wanted to get one for having heard her talking about it with Maria once, but still, he had never really thought she would actually go through with it, or even less that _he_ would get to see it one day. He liked it though, the dark color of the tribal design contrasting perfectly with the tanned color of her skin and being rightly placed on the small of her back.

His brain must have fried when she entered, he concluded, because otherwise it would have tried to make him understand that what he was doing was wrong, that he had no right to invade her privacy like he currently was, but for the life of him, he couldn't take his eyes off her even if he wanted. And who would believe him if he said he did, huh? No one, right? No need to lie then.

The only thing he wanted at that instant actually, beside the obvious of course, but he would rather not let his thoughts drift to that right now if he didn't want to embarrass himself, was to drink her in. Fill his mind with as much details as he could so he would remember this moment, remember her and what she could look like and have enough to last him a lifetime, so sure he was that such an opportunity would never present itself ever again.

In a million years from then, he wanted to remember every freckle that adorned her back. Close his eyes and see every delicious curve that complimented her body so well. Smell the air and recognize that so particular scent that invaded it every time she was around, and tell himself, _'man I was there, and I saw her'_!

Reason ordered him to get out of there before she discovered his presence of course, but he just couldn't move. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, his inability to move a muscle being probably the only thing that stopped him from running to her and just taking her right there and then, because honestly that was the only thing he was still able to think about.

More than anything he wanted to run his hands all over her body and discover if her skin was as soft as it had always looked to him, the very brief sample he had had months ago when he had touched her at the drive-in not having been enough. He wanted to plunder her mouth, taste every crevice of it, mate and duel with her tongue and savor every second of it. But above all he wanted to lose himself in her and finally know if his dreams and fantasies held the comparison to the reality. Even if he might not survive it if they did.

If it weren't already hard enough as it was, it got only worse when she reached for her shampoo and the room soon filled with that strawberry scent that made him lose his mind, invoking the same reaction it always did. At that point it was only because he was still squatting down and somehow holding onto it, that he hadn't sent his towel flying through space already. Without using his hands of course, if you got the drift.

For interminable minutes, his eyes feasted upon her, observing as she washed that hair he loved so much, and when he saw some foam run down her spine all the way to the crack of her ass, he swore he would lick up soap if that meant getting his tongue anywhere near her and finally touching her. It was simply becoming unbearable not announcing his presence and going to her when that was the only thing he had in mind, and when she arched back once more to get most of the shampoo off her hair, he had to dig his nails into his palms to stop himself from surging forward. She was just so gorgeous. So incredibly beautiful it almost hurt to look at her.

He was slowly getting used to the amazing and breathtaking view nonetheless, his heart was gradually going back to its normal rate, but even with that, it still hit him like a ton of bricks when she turned around to better rinse her hair and he was presented with her front at last.

If he had found it difficult to breathe before, now it was downright an impossibility and he found himself very near the hyperventilation stage.

His mind didn't even register the fact that it was only because she was keeping her eyes close for now as she arched under the spray that she hadn't noticed him yet, all he could concentrate on were those magnificent breasts that seemed to be staring directly at him.

For being friend with one Michael Guerin and having watched many porns with him, willing or not, he had seen his share of breasts before this day, but never in his life had he contemplated anything more beautiful than hers. They weren't large, or big like those of most of the actresses in Michael's movies, but he didn't doubt they would fit just wonderfully into his hands, and that was the most important.

They were just as perfect to him as the rest of her, he pondered as his eyes traveled down to her narrow waist, and this time he gasped in surprise when he noticed another tattoo, a small Chinese writing undecipherable to him, near her hipbone and placed discreetly under the line of her tan. And it was then that Max realized that there were many, many things he still obviously didn't know about Liz Parker, because she had surely never struck him as a tattoo person, and probably even less as one who would sunbathe topless, he considered as he remarked that he hadn't seen any mark on her chest.

That was soon forgotten for the moment, however, when his vision settled on the small and neatly trimmed triangle of dark curls at the apex of her thighs. And when he said small, that was still highly exaggerated actually, because it was the tinniest thing it could be, and the sight simply drove him insane with lust. Insane to the point he was more and more convinced that he was only a second away from doing something very stupid.

He was almost grateful then when she turned the other way once more, and after having applied what he supposed was some hair conditioner, she started to untangle her dark locks. Not that the sight of her back was any safer, really, if he thought about it, but it helped some nevertheless to resist the urge he felt to just go and bury himself so deep inside of her it would take both of their breaths away.

Yet as he should have predicted, the reprieve didn't last long unfortunately, and soon she was facing him again. More than from the sight, he was surprised then to hear her mutter something under her breath and though he didn't understand what she said, he couldn't miss the fact that she seemed quite pissed in fact.

He should have noticed that before, he realized, since the way she had stomped in there, the way she had scrubbed her hair like she meant to pull it out of their roots, her whole demeanor actually had screamed as much. He had just been too busy marveling at her to focus much on that before.

He _was_ paying attention now though, and he really didn't like to think that anything could upset her or worry her. No, he didn't like it one bit. Liz shouldn't have to worry about a thing, and if he could, he would make sure of that. Only whatever he planned to do for that would have to wait apparently since he was once more distracted in his musing.

Obviously still unaware that she was having an audience, Liz started to lather up her body, with her front yet to him and her eyes still close and Max seriously thought he was only a breath away from the apoplexy fit now.

Her hands wandered up to her breasts and at that instant he wished they could be his so he could discover just how they would feel under his own touch, but then any thought left his brain when he saw her kneading the flesh, right in front of his bulging eyes. Her nipples turned hard under her own ministrations, poking like little erasers, begging for what Max was sure could only be his attention and he just knew now that he would just burst from the inside out if he didn't do something and fast.

He was actually considering beating a quick but discreet retreat before it would be too late and he would in fact do something he might regret afterwards and that could ruin everything, but he was barely up that he stumbled backwards and found himself plastered to the wall again.

If seeing her massaging her soft mounds had put a strain to his self-control, her next action very well threatened to make him pop a vein and end up his existence just there. With incredible slowness, one of her hands glided down her flat abdomen while the other one kept caressing her swollen breast, and disappeared between her thighs, leaving little doubt to what she could be doing or exactly what she was stroking now.

God, never in his life had he seen anything more sexy and erotic than Liz Parker caressing herself, eyes closed and mouth parted in silent pleasure, and never, for the rest of it, would he forget the sight. For a very brief instant, he even wondered how she would react if he just suddenly forgot about what was right and what was wrong and just crawled up to her and started to lap at her like he so wanted to.

But then, he heard it and his world stopped spinning around. A moan so soft yet so real, it sent all the blood rushing down to his groin, and he couldn't do a thing to prevent what happened next or to control his instinctive reaction.

"Oh, _fuck_!" he groaned out loud, the words escaping his lips before he could stop them, but then instantly froze when she finally opened her eyes and spotted him only a few feet from her.

He heard her gasp, saw the shocked expression on her face, but still he didn't budge. She had heard him. She had freaking heard him, and she looked ready to bolt out of there. Why in the hell had he chosen that moment to open his big frigging mouth?

But what did she expect really? She had just moaned his name for crying out loud. She had been touching herself, and she had moaned, his, name! How did she want him to keep quiet after that? Did she really believe him to be able to still have any coherent thought or do anything but gape and lose control?

Trying to determine how she was going to react now, he caught the look of horror on her face and really didn't know how to take it. Was she just horrified she had been caught? Or was it because _he_ had been the one to catch her?

He could perfectly relate to that, after all how would he have reacted himself if she had entered a few minutes later and caught him thinking about her and pleasuring himself, like he had been planning to. He would have been as shocked as she clearly was, but he surely didn't want her to be scared of him or anything remotely close.

"E-Evans?… what… ooh, god… what are y-you doing _here_?" she squeaked out, her eyes wild, completely startled to see him there when he had nothing to do in this place. And even less all 'naked' but for that strange necklace that never seemed to leave his neck and a simple towel wrapped loosely around his waist. And was that?… oh, goodness… it was!

His mouth opened and closed soundlessly, but beside that he wasn't doing a thing and there would have been no way for her to say if he was affected by this situation or not, if it weren't for the huge tent on his towel.

Gee, did he plan to go camping soon? Because surely he could provide shelter for half the cheerleading squad under that thing… Oh-kay, now that was absolutely not what or how she meant it, and it was definitely a bad time to have that kind of thoughts.

What the fuck was wrong with her anyway? And how in the world could she be even just _thinking_ about licking about every droplet of water that still clung to his body - no matter how freaking hot it could be- in such a moment when the only thing she should be doing was to run for cover or at least get out of the place as fast as she could?

As she realized the craziness of her thoughts, she followed his gaze and looked down to herself, and when she caught sight of her nakedness she yelped before desperately grabbing for her towel, cursing herself when she realized that she had still been standing there, in front of him, in all her freaking nudity and giving him a free peep show like she didn't even _mind_ he was getting an eyeful.

Of course as it was her chance the one she managed to reach for was the one she used to dry off her hair so barely covered anything and what was worse, was soaked in no time since her feet seemed to be glued to the floor and she was still under the jets, but it was always better than nothing at all, wasn't it? She didn't even bother to wrap it around her, just holding it before her so he wouldn't see anything anymore, but that would have to do for now.

"S-Stay where you are… oh, my… oh, m-my goood…" she shrieked once more when Max still didn't talk but looked like he was going to take a step towards her.

In reaction, she backed down herself but almost immediately stepped aside with a sharp cry when her naked back connected with the hot pipe behind her. And then, ultimately, instinct took over and she did the only thing she could. She yelled, the piercing sound being enough to finally pull Max out of his torpor and prompt him into action.

The last thing he needed was to have anyone hearing her and coming running to see what was happening. He didn't know how he would explain then what he was doing in the girls' locker room, in the showers no less, half-naked, and with what he was sure was a hard on the size of Minnesota. They would probably think that he was some kind of pervert waiting for an opportunity to catch some girl and get some action, or something like that.

Before Liz could scream again so, Max was on her, a hand on her mouth, stopping any other bloody cry she could have emitted, and she found herself unable to do anything but look at him with big frightened eyes.

No matter how irrational it could be since deep down she knew she had no reason to be scared of him, she couldn't control her emotions at that instant. Even less when she realized with sudden clarity that considering his state of dress, or lack of actually, he had been there all along, probably showering here himself before her entrance, and therefore had witnessed _everything_ she could have done. Of all the people who could have caught her in such an embarrassing situation, why, oh, why, did it have to be precisely him? The last person in the world who should have learned just how crazy about him she was! At least not like this.

"Shh… don't scream… please!" Max asked of her, hoping it wasn't already too late, but Liz was past that phase already.

She couldn't breathe, not because he was stopping her but because she had lost the ability, and maybe even the will, the instant she had seen him and they had locked eyes. And she couldn't scream either even if her life depended on it. Now the only thing she wanted was for the floor to open up and swallow her whole so she could just disappear and pretend that this was not happening at all. Max Evans had caught her caressing herself, _intimately_, and moaning _his_ freaking name. What would he think of her now? What would he say? And how the hell was she supposed to ever look at him again, see him every day at school, after that? She could as well die right now because she would never survive the shame.

No matter how hard she tried to control herself, tears of humiliation rolled down her cheeks and it was enough to make Max realize that he had scared her even more than what he could have thought.

"Shh… shh… it's okay… I'm not gonna hurt you… I-I could never hurt you, Liz!" he whispered reassuringly after having withdrawn his hand, sure that that was the reason for her tears.

Of course he could understand her reaction, after all what did she know about him? Or what he planned to do? But just the thought that she could really be afraid of him and that she could think he could hurt her in any way, was more than he could take. Didn't she know he would rather die before letting anything happen to her or causing her any harm?

"God, I-I never meant to make you cry!… I'm sorry!" he told her when she didn't stop and then winced in what looked like pain at the sight of her in such a state because of him. His forehead touching hers now, he then cupped her face lovingly and brushed the tears away, all the while cursing himself for having put them there in the first place. "Don't cry, _please_!"

Seeing her big doe eyes filled with tears now made him realize that nothing had changed since that first time he had seen her crying so long ago because Doug Shellow had pushed her and made her fall when they were only 5th graders, he still couldn't bear to see her cry or hurt in any way. That day it had taken Michael and another classmate already to stop him from going and kicking that idiot's ass, or actually being beaten himself since the guy had been stronger and taller than he was at that time, but now he would gladly kick his own ass himself if he could and no one would be able to stop him.

Liz looked at him dumbfounded and still unable to utter a single word, she just nodded mutely. It wasn't that she didn't want to stop crying, she just couldn't. Swallowing hard, she tried to fill her starving lungs with air, but the more she tried the less she could breathe. If she kept this on, she might very well pass out, she had no doubt about that, but she didn't think that keeling over in his arms would be the best way to make an impression on Max.

Far from it, moreover since given her reaction to his presence here, he was probably already thinking that she was a nervous wreck, and how could he not? She was so close to hysterics it wouldn't take much more to make her lose it completely, no matter how gentle he was or how much he was obviously trying to help her.

Right now, she was essentially caught between being completely horrified by what was happening to her and wishing she could just close her eyes and be transported to a safer place where she wouldn't have just humiliated herself, and wanting to stay just where she was and savor the incredible feeling that filled her when Max Evans touched her.

It felt so surreal to her, it was actually hard to conceive that all this was really occurring. Which brought up a very valid question now that she thought of it.

"A-Are you really here?… I mean… are you… _real_?" she wondered out loud after a while, suddenly sure that somehow she was still caught up in one of her many fantasies.

Otherwise how could it be explained that he was actually here just in front of her? How could she explain that he was touching her, breathing the same air she did, and looking at her like she meant the world to him and he would just cry himself if she didn't stop.

His fingers skimmed her skin as he breathed a soft '_as real as they come_' and she closed her eyes at the gentle caress. She relished in it, marveling at how tender and comforting his touch could be, but instead of calming her down like she was sure it was supposed to, his actions only made her silent tears roll faster. It was so hard for her to not cry actually when he was caressing her in a way no one had before, but like she had always wanted _him_ to. She had not even really thought that they could one day be close enough for that, it had to be normal then if the only thing she could feel was being submerged by emotion. Almost like she was drowning in a sea of tenderness she had not been prepared for.

Max tried to catch every single tear with the pads of his thumbs and when that proved not to be enough, he softly kissed her eyelids then followed the path of one of them, not even really aware of what he was doing. His lips grazed her cheek, tasting the salty texture, then her jaw line just as tenderly, and ended their journey on her neck where a lone tear died.

"What… what a-are you doing?" Liz demanded as she felt him nibbling at her skin, her voice quivering and her eyes still obstinately closed, sure that he would just vanish and stop touching her if she opened them.

"Thought that was obvious!" Max answered like it was the most natural thing in the world. And in a way it was to him.

How many times had he touched her, kissed her like this before, even if it had only been in his imagination? How many times had he loved her thoroughly? In his head, he already knew every inch of her skin, every luscious curve, what she liked and what she didn't, and he was more than ready now to make every one of those thoughts, every knowledge he believed he had of her, a reality.

"Why!? … y-you don't even like me…" she croaked out, her head spinning every time his mouth brushed her face.

His kisses were nothing but soft whispers against her skin but they sparked a fire inside of her she never suspected could exist. He was simply driving her crazy, making her lose her grip on reality, there was no denying it, but when she realized just how desperate she sounded, reason briefly took over once more and she was quick to add, "And I-I don't like you either…" she denied the evidence in a whisper, though she knew there would be no way he wouldn't see through her lies.

He would know how much she craved his touch, how much she wanted him to continue, and he would realize how much the thought that he was doing this only as a mean to calm her down, without any feelings behind the gesture hurt her, and that thought scared her out of her mind. She couldn't afford to appear vulnerable in front of him, not if it was to be rejected afterwards.

Max just looked at her then, silent for a short moment and just taking her in, seeing how the emotions in her eyes contradicted her words, and he knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself even if he was paid for it. Besides, if he still had any reservation, he remembered all too well that she had been moaning his name not so long ago and they all vanished with that thought.

"I beg to differ!" he stated simply, tenderly tracing her bottom lip with his thumb, and then ever so softly closed the distance between them.

The air crackled around them, their breaths mingled briefly and the next second his lips grazed hers in a feathery kiss that had Liz wondering if he had really touched her, even when she consciously knew he was. Once, twice he repeated the tender gesture until he just kept kissing her ever so softly, like he was slowly trying to seduce her, and gripping on her towel for dear life, she wasn't able to do a thing but surrender to the gentle assault.

It was a slow process till Liz felt secure enough to do so, but gradually she started to respond back as well, her lips becoming more pliant and more demanding under his, and everything started to become more real: Max Evans was kissing her. And what a kisser he was, she thought as he caught her bottom lip between his and pulled lightly at it, making her moan in answer. Again and again, he kept attacking her gently but determinedly and when the tip of his tongue eventually caressed her lips and parted them for the sweet exploration of her mouth, she knew the world had fallen off its axis… and she was falling right along with it.

Max nearly groaned himself when she granted him access so easily and he finally felt her own tongue stroking his softly. He felt dizzy and invigorated at the same time, like he could collapse one minute, and conquer the world the next one. All because of the power of her kisses, and the way she made him feel. It was crazy, he realized that, but he couldn't bring himself do a thing against it. He didn't even know where he meant to take this, all he knew for sure was that he needed to be close to her. He needed to hold her. To kiss her. To love her. Forever if he could.

"God, I'm sorry!" he breathed out raggedly when he managed to momentarily tear his lips off hers, his tone almost shameful even if he couldn't say he really regretted anything he had done so far.

"Sorry for what?" Liz asked as she licked her lips, still somewhat surprised to be able to taste him on them.

She couldn't even understand herself what was happening here or between them but she wasn't about to complain for all that, even if she knew she should probably question her own sanity at that moment. This was just so insane but the worst part was that she didn't want to do anything to stop the madness. Quite the contrary, she didn't even want to talk, even when she knew they should, the only thing she still wanted was for him to kiss her again. And again. And again.

"I can't stop!" Max answered in a grunt when he saw her pink tongue darting out between those soft lips he was already completely addicted to, and after cradling her face between his hands once more, captured them in a searing kiss that made both of them go weak in the knees.

Feeling herself so close to sinking to the floor, Liz finally loosened her grip on her towel and wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing in pleasure when she felt his hands angling her head to deepen the kiss, his tongue invading her mouth again, and his towel-covered hardness rubbing against her.

In her haste -and need- to get closer to him she didn't even realize that her own towel was slowly falling off and exposing more and more of her body, but Max could hardly feel anything else. He was all too aware that the only thing separating their upper bodies now was the thin but wet cotton material, and it took all he had for him to not just rip it off her and grant himself another look at her stunning body.

"The things you do to me, Liz Parker!" he whispered huskily near her ear, unable to hide the truth, or just how much she could affect him, even if he fought with himself to not lose it completely just yet.

Liz clung to him at his words, tightening her hold around his neck and consequently pressing her body harder against his, which only made Max want to ravish her again. Her fingers winded through his wet hair as his finally descended down her back, running all along her spine, and he knew there was no way for him to resist the longing any longer. Her skin was so soft under his touch, he needed more, he needed all of her.

"Let me see you, Liz." he asked so softly then Liz truly believed she had just imagined the words, but when he added a heartfelt '_please_' afterwards, she knew she wasn't going crazy.

It felt kind of stupid, he knew, since he had already seen her, but that had been without her consent and because he had just been there and had been unable to look at anything but her, but now he wanted her to want this as much as he did. He knew all too well that if he just as much as took a single step back he would see all of her, but he needed the decision to be hers. More than anything, he wanted her to be okay with this and with what, and where, her accord could possibly lead them to. No matter how much he could want to see her, want _her_, he would never pressure her or force the issue if that wasn't what she did want, too, ultimately.

Hesitating for a brief instant, Liz pondered the wisdom of doing what he asked, since after all she wasn't naïve enough to really believe that Max would stop at just looking at her once, or if, she agreed, but despite her own insecurities, she knew there wasn't really any choice to be made here, or any doubt to have. His earlier reaction was still fresh in her mind, and whatever he could feel for her, if he did feel anything, she couldn't doubt that he truly wanted her. She could feel the evident proof of how much he did pressing into her stomach and that was enough to give her the boost of confidence she needed and make up her mind.

Very slowly she unhooked her arms from around his broad shoulders and let her hands trail down his chest as at the same time she pulled apart and took a step back, and as it was expected the towel fell to the floor, completely revealing her nudity to his hungry gaze.

She felt a little embarrassed at first of course, no matter what she told herself, but when she heard his muttered curse and saw him literally devouring her with his eyes, she threw shyness out the window and just accepted the feeling.

"You don't know how many times I have fantasized about this… about _you_…" after minutes just spent observing her wordlessly, Max breathed out hoarsely, his eyes suggestively trailing up and down her body, aroused to the point of pain.

"You have?… Me?" Liz stuttered incredulously, barely resisting the urge she felt to just pinch herself to make sure she wasn't just hearing and seeing things.

Sure she had gotten that he obviously found her attractive, but she had not yet reached the point where she believed it wasn't something new for him, or just due to the fact that he was seeing her naked and reacting like any guy his age would in such a situation.

"About how you could look like…" he continued, his voice getting huskier with each word he expelled and sending shivers down her spine, but it was when he finally touched her again that Liz thought she would literally combust.

"Oh, my…" she moaned as his hands grabbed her hips gently and caressed her skin ever so softly.

His fingers stroked her hipbone before making their way up her ribcage and the only thing she was still able to think about was, is it possible to have an orgasm just because of such a simple stimulation? She had to wonder because honestly he had barely touched her at all and she was really not far from it.

"How you could feel…" he trailed off, the innocent kiss he left on her temple contradicting the way he reached out and kneaded her breasts at the very same time.

"You… ooh…" she whimpered helplessly when his thumbs traced teasing circles around her erected nipples, and bit her lip nearly to the blood at the sensation.

"Yes!" Max cut her off chuckling, wondering if she would question everything he would tell her, but then almost immediately grew serious again. "… but you are even more beautiful than anything I could have conjured up…" he whispered reverently, still awed by the beauty she was.

Liz swallowed up audibly at the words, not even able to thank him for them, because even with her mind furiously working at processing everything he said, she just couldn't believe it. Max Evans thought she was beautiful. How crazy was that? Not only that, but he was caressing her in a way that made her toes curl and had obviously been dreaming about this as much as she had herself. Maria had actually even caught her fantasizing about a situation like this once, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that she would live it up one day.

"I can't get enough of you… this is insane… I-I just can't!" Max growled, pulling her to him until there was not a millimeter of space between them, and then backed her to the wall. Just before he caught her mouth in another mind blowing kiss, speaking of the passion that consumed him whole at that instant.

Liz cried out when her now fevered body came into contact with the cool tiles, but it was nothing yet compared to the sound that tore from her throat when she felt Max's naked skin embrace hers for the very first time. It felt so warm against hers despite the moistness, so good, she wanted nothing more than to taste every inch of it, even if right now she couldn't since her lips were presently otherwise occupied.

Her hands were everywhere instead, in his hair, running up and down his arms or his back, gripping at his shoulders, while his mouth applied a constant but not so gentle pressure on hers and all but devoured her. She didn't mind at all however and couldn't get enough of him, no more than he obviously could, and consequently only when the need for air became too urgent did they break apart.

Not for long though. The instant Max left her lips, he went in search of more skin to taste and discover and as she nibbled at his shoulder, he attacked the tender skin of her neck, nipping, sucking, licking, until Liz's self-control was reduced to ashes and she couldn't take it anymore.

No matter how enjoyable this was, she needed even more and she knew she wouldn't be able to contain herself any longer. Of their own volition her hands slid down his sides and when she reached the hem of his towel, she pulled on it, taking Max by surprise when in one quick motion she got rid of the only barrier still separating their heated bodies and kicked it out of the way when it touched the floor.

Despite her sudden boldness however, she didn't dare look down yet but just like Max did, she hissed when his even more obvious hardness touched her own naked flesh at last. Her fingers skimmed his skin then, getting closer to his throbbing member but for some strange reason she couldn't bring herself to close the final distance, no matter how much she wanted to.

"Liz?" Max expelled half in a moan, half in question, waiting for her to do something, anything, but not let him suffer that way any longer.

Her hands momentarily frozen on his hips, her head resting against his shoulder, Liz murmured a soft hesitant '_yes_', but when Max lifted her chin to look at her and she caught the look of distress in his eyes, she knew she couldn't postpone the moment anymore. Nor did she want to.

"C-Can I touch you?" she demanded softly, almost shyly, and Max found himself growing harder at the innocent question if that was still possible.

Could she touch him? Hell yeah, that was the only thing he could still think about, but how long she would be able to touch him without him creaming all over her hand, that was another story altogether.

"P-Please!" was all that could pass his lips at that moment, but even as he indirectly agreed, he wasn't really expecting to finally feel her hand on him so soon.

"Liiz!" he cried out when he felt her hot palm closing around him, and closed his eyes at the delicious sensation.

Shocked by how he felt under her exploring fingers, Liz eventually gazed down and she couldn't suppress a soft moan of her own when she eventually got her first real look of Max's throbbing sex.

"Wow!" she gasped, her eyes wide at the sight.

She had expected him to be well-endowed of course, considering what she had been able to discern and feel earlier, but _this_, was even more impressive than anything she had been able to conjure up in her mind.

"W-Wow?" Max parroted, his own eyes trailing down to where she was looking herself and briefly admiring how her fingers moved up and down his manhood in a very slow way.

"Uh… y-you're… _huge_… I… y-yeah… _wow_!" she stammered, unable to tear her eyes off the pulsating flesh or stop in her movements.

She was actually as surprised by its amazing girth and length as she was by how soft yet hard it felt in her hands, but she definitely liked the feeling.

"And that's g-good or… " Max trailed off uncertainly, not sure yet if she was satisfied with what she was seeing or not, but her next statement was enough to dispel any lingering doubt he could have had.

"I'm sure it's gonna be!" Liz blurted out before she could stop herself, and then blushed furiously when her eyes shot up to Max's face and she realized what she had just said.

With a low rumble that didn't leave any doubt about how much her words turned him on, Max crushed his lips to hers once more as he pulled her flush to his body, and then kissed her so passionately Liz thought she would end up seeing stars from the explosive effusion.

His hands cradled her against him and when they reached the small of her back and drifted to her bottom, she willingly wrapped her legs around his waist and mewed breathlessly when the move caused his erection to settle between her thighs and brush against her dripping center.

Trapping her against the wall, Max let one of his hands trace the soft curves of her body until it reached its destination, and he sucked in a breath in excitation when he found the dampness between her legs.

"Oh, Liiz!" he groaned when his fingers discovered what his manhood had already felt before and he realized just how wet she truly was.

Very slowly then, he pushed one digit inside her tight passage, and when Liz cried out and pulled him down for another fiery kiss, he started to pump it in and out of her.

"Do you want this as much as I want it, Parker?" he gasped as he bit her lip lightly and tug on it like he meant to literally eat her alive.

"Yes!" Liz yelped in answer but then all but pouted in clear disappointment when he withdrew his hand and instead of keeping kissing her, reached blindly behind him for God only knew what.

"Wait… let me just… " he mumbled, his hand trying to find the tap without letting completely go of her or really moving at all.

"We're gonna freeze in here if you do that!" Liz stated when she saw him turning off the water, even if honestly she didn't really care if she froze on that spot or not, as long as he stayed with her and didn't stop what he was doing to her.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you warm!" Max promised before he pressed his lips as well as his body to hers, and then slipped his tongue into her mouth to halt any other protest she could have made.

Still, before Liz could really get into the kiss again, he surprised her by sweeping her into his strong arms, and took a step to the side with the obvious intention to lay her on the small shelf that though hardly ever used, was supposed to serve for the soaps and shampoos.

"Max? What are you doing?… this… it won't hold up…" she exclaimed almost desperately, needing him to touch her again or do whatever it was he had in mind, but sure that the narrow thing would never support her weight.

"It will have to… 'cause there is no way I'll go another second without tasting you!" Max declared stubbornly, refusing to give up now that he was that close to realizing another one of his recurrent fantasies.

Liz felt her insides quiver with desire as what he said, what he _wanted_, registered in her brain, but no matter how eager and impatient she was to feel him do just that, she knew it wouldn't work. There was no way she would be able to stay there and not break the thing in two, and the events proved her right when no sooner was she on it that she felt it give up under her.

"Damn!" Max cursed the instant he saw the shelf sag under her weight and he realized that she had been right. Not only would it probably not hold up, but chances were that she wouldn't be very comfortable anyway.

"Okay… j-just hold on here, baby," he told her when he understood he would have to find something else, and therefore lay her on the low wall behind her instead, sure that they wouldn't have much problem with this. Beside, that way he was practically at face level with her core and that was what he needed.

"You're gonna like this!" he promised with a lopsided smirk once he had her positioned exactly where he wanted her.

Or so he hoped. After all so far he had only ever done that in his dreams, so there was absolutely no guarantee he would be able to do this right.

Obeying him, Liz gripped the metallic bar that adorned the top of the wall, but even with his warning and the way she grabbed for support, she couldn't help but arch up the instant his mouth descended on her, the only reason she didn't actually fall off the wall being because Max was quick to react.

"Relax, sweetheart!" Max admonished gently, but couldn't have stopped the thrill her reaction caused him.

Oh, yes, _he_ was going to like this, too. He just had to smell her desire to know that much. Her scent was simply intoxicating, going directly to his head, and he wondered how he was still able to contain himself and not dive just right into her sweetness.

Relax, huh? How in the world was she supposed to _relax_ when she was legs spread just in front of him and only a mere brush of his lips on her was enough to drive her wild and threatened to make her come apart already. She just couldn't, and yet if that was what it took to feel his lips on her, _there_ again, what else could she do?

God, this was really becoming all too much. And the things that were running through her head right at that moment were so out of character, they surprised even herself. She never even thought that she would ever be able to not feel completely self-conscious at being so exposed to him, but the heated stares he sent her every time he looked up at her dispelled any insecurities she could have had. That and the fact that she was sure she would die if he didn't touch her soon. Or maybe she would die if he did touch her, she wasn't sure anymore what could be worse in fact. But in any case, what the heck was he doing?

"Max, please!" she whimpered helplessly when instead of going back to where he had been not a minute ago he chose to tease her some more, and it took all of her willpower to not grab his hair and bring him just where she needed him the most.

With a slowness that should be forbidden or at least severely punished, he started nibbling at her inner thigh, gradually approaching to her tingling center yes, but Liz could tell he was taking his time on purpose and she wanted to curse at him for being so cruel to her.

The closer he came, the more she moaned his name of course, but no matter how many times she called him, he kept on with his snail pace until Liz had no choice but to resort to pleading.

"What do you want, sweetheart?" Max asked hoarsely as he nipped at the juncture of her thigh but still didn't touch her burning center.

"You know wh-what!" Liz stuttered, wondering if he would put her out of her misery at last or just keep torturing her till she would just die there in agony.

"Do you want me to do… _this_?" Max continued, and when Liz was already resigning herself to her fate, he licked her slit very slowly, all but moaning himself when he finally tasted her on his tongue.

"Hmm, baby… you taste so sweet!" he purred between teasing flicks and loving kisses, but didn't give her time to comment. Not that she would have been able to say anything anyway.

The first real taste of her made him want to go for more and after having waited as long as it was humanly possible, he gave her exactly what they both wanted.

Heady with desire, he traced the contours of her soft mound before plunging his tongue inside of her and going as far as he could, nearly spilling his seed against the wall himself when Liz instinctively gripped his hair and as best as she could in her position started to ride his face.

God, he just couldn't get enough of her scent, of her taste, and even less of her groans of pleasure. The way she moaned his name in that deep satiny voice every time his lips caressed her, every time his tongue explored and went past her entrance made him wish he could attach his mouth to her forever and never, ever let go.

Slowing down a little to savor the feeling as long as he could, he pulled apart slightly and growled when he really took the time to look at what had been so willingly offered to him. His eyes feasted upon the beautiful sight she presented, her legs still spread, her lips red and puffy, but it was that little bundle of nerves, poking out of its sheath and now swollen from the constant stimulation that had been inflicted on it even before this, that really made his mouth water and his mind go wild.

Laving her slit once more, he then let his tongue twirl teasingly around her clit, applying just enough pressure to bring her intense pleasure but not hurt the receptive nub. Over and over he kept nibbling at it, sucking on it, delighted when Liz started chanting his name in the most erotic way. She had probably one of the most beautiful voices he had ever heard, and he was all too glad to hear it put to use in such occasion.

Sensing her close now, he ran a finger down her slit and after having teased her a short while, inserted it inside her depths, repeating the same slow motions he had used not so long ago, even if it had only been briefly.

He wasn't so hesitant now and soon Liz felt herself exploding into a million of tiny pieces, the indescribable pleasure rippling through her reaching his paroxysm when at the same time he pumped one long finger into her core, he sucked on her clit harder. Holding onto the wall almost desperately then, she kept trembling as she tried to ride her orgasm to the end and her legs tightened around Max's shoulders when she finally felt her insides contract in pure bliss.

As she climaxed in his arms, Max continued licking at her, collecting her tasty juices like he was trying to get drunk on her sweet nectar, until it became almost painful for her to have him still laving at her now very sensitive flesh. Like he understood what was happening to her, Max then blew warm puffs of air along her slit, and after having flicked her clit one last time, kissed his way up to her hipbone, his tongue moving leisurely up the line of her tan before reaching her tattoo, and then he just kept tracing the symbol lovingly until she seemed to be calmed down enough.

"Does it mean anything special?" he inquired in a low voice after a moment, but not stopping in what he was doing for all that.

"What?" Liz sighed almost dreamingly, not sure of what he was talking about. She wasn't sure about a thing anymore anyway.

"Your tattoo… what does it mean?" he clarified when he realized she was still somewhere else and didn't get his meaning.

"C-Craving to be loved… or something like that… I-I never really knew…" she replied still somewhat dazed and clearly distracted by the way his tongue and hands kept wreaking havoc on her body.

"Is that so?" he demanded absentmindedly while his lips attacked her ribcage now.

"What?" she uttered, not making the connection between what she had just told him and what he was asking her now.

Admittedly she had lost the ability to have any coherent thought a long time ago, probably the instant she had had her first taste of his lips, so it didn't even really surprised her she wasn't able to comprehend everything that he said.

"Is that something you really need?" he whispered softly though he barely stopped in the exploration of her body.

Slowly he let her slide down against him, all the while trailing hot kisses on her skin, until he was presented with her perfect rounded breasts and proceeded to give them the attention they deserved.

"'Cause I'd be more than glad to help you… if you let me…" he proposed only just a second before he decided to suit the action to the words and showed her exactly what kind of help he was willing to offer.

Now pinned between his hard body and the wall, Liz could do nothing else but moan and writhe when his tongue flicked her nipples, first one, then the other, making the already distended peaks stand to attention. Pleased by her response, Max closed his mouth around one before suckling lightly on it, like a newborn would when offered the nourishment they needed.

On and on he went from one to the other, giving the same complete and caring consideration to each of them, and only stopped when Liz forced his head up, kissing him so passionately then he was sure she would end up bruising his lips. Yet even if he was kind of shocked by the force of that kiss, he couldn't express how much feeling her sucking his tongue between her lips so avidly turned him on right at that instant. Just like her next words did.

"Max… I need you, _now_!" she pleaded shamelessly when she let go of him long enough to speak, rubbing her soaked core against his length at the same time. At this stage, she was almost sure she would spontaneously self-combust if she didn't feel him inside of her and soon.

"You sure, Liz?" Max asked nonetheless, voice trembling in what could only be anticipation.

Or maybe it was apprehension, he didn't even know himself. The only thing he was still sure of was that he wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything else in his life before, but he was also all too aware that if they crossed that line, there would not only be no turning back but it would change everything between them.

There was also the fact that he couldn't help but think that their first time should have been somewhere else, somewhere more romantic, even if as long as it was with Liz he didn't really care where it was. He just hoped she didn't either, and so it was with bated breath that he waited for her reply.

"I am if y-you are!" Liz answered hesitantly, knowing there was nothing she wanted more at that instant than for him to claim her and make her his, but she didn't want him to have any second thoughts or regrets afterwards.

"Oh, baby… don't ask me to make any decision where you're concerned… I can't even think straight when you're around! Now definitely not more than ever!" Max said truthfully, leaving the choice into her hands since as far as he was concerned, she was the one calling the shots. He didn't want to pressure her into doing anything she wasn't really ready for, so if she asked him to stop, he would, no matter how hard that would be.

He didn't have to wait much for her answer however, contrary to what he could have thought, his own sentence actually ending up in a moan when Liz caught the sensitive lobe of his ear between her teeth. Right, and now how was he supposed to keep acting like a gentleman if she made it nearly impossible for him to resist her, huh?

"Then why don't we just stop talking and act on instincts instead?" Liz suggested huskily then, licking his ear outer shell now that she felt more confident than ever after such a confession.

Truth be told, she knew her mind had been made up long before that, she just needed confirmation that he wanted her as much as she did him. As long as that was the case, nothing else mattered to her, and they would deal with the consequences later. When she would be sated enough to think clearly again.

"We could do that… y-yeah!" Max croaked out as he '_instinctively_' took his painfully hard member and teased her entrance with its head.

His eyes nearly crossed the moment he parted her moist folds and he had to wonder by which miracle he was still able to hold on. If it felt this good already, he would probably explode the second he would feel her warm walls surrounding him completely. Oh, man, he was _so_ going to humiliate himself.

Trying to delay what he was sure was inevitable, he barely entered her at all, easing himself only an inch into her, and then pulling out again just as quickly, though it took all of his willpower to do only that. He actually managed to repeat the action a few times, until Liz couldn't take it anymore and nearly begged him for more.

"M-Max… please… I-I want you so much!" she all but whined, probably only a second from impaling herself on him if he didn't take her already.

"I know the feeling, b-believe me!" Max barely got out before he complied with her request and finally sunk into her silky depths.

In one single thrust he was in to the hilt, groaning so loudly he was sure the entire town had heard him, and Liz hissed right along with him even if at that instant he couldn't tell if it was in pleasure or in pain.

Seeking her face almost immediately, he found her with her eyes closed, biting at her lip, and for a fleeting second he wondered if he had really hurt her. After all even if she had been with Kyle before -jeez, that thought alone at _that_ precise moment was almost enough to make him lose his erection- he had seen him in the showers many times and not to be boastful, but there was no saying they weren't playing in the same league.

"You okay?" Max asked concerned when he saw a tear leaking out of the corner of her eye. Tear that he immediately wiped away tenderly.

It was honestly taking supernatural strength to not move at all when all he wanted right now was to pound into her body until she would be crying his name in ecstasy, but he would stop breathing even if he had to and just wait on her to tell him she was alright for as long as he would have to, if he had hurt her in any way.

"Y-Yeah!" Liz replied almost too quickly, having surely not expected it to still sting so much considering she wasn't, at least '_technically_', a virgin anymore. And boy was she suddenly glad she wasn't and did no longer have any barrier to break, otherwise he would have probably torn her apart.

"You sure?" Max insisted gently, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ears, clearly not convinced even if he could see she was trying her best to smile at him.

It made him wonder just how many times she had done this with Kyle, no matter what the bastard had insinuated, because if he had indeed not felt any obstruction when entering her, she was obviously not used to this yet. He didn't know what was worse though, thinking that they had done it countless number of times, or that Kyle could have just taken her virginity and once he had had what he had wanted, had finally not cared anymore and sought out another prey almost right away.

"Yes, just… just give me a second." Liz told him, sure that it wouldn't take her much longer to get used to him being inside of her.

The slight pain she had felt initially was definitely ebbing and she would lie if she said she wasn't happy for it. The new feeling replacing it was undeniably too pleasant to be marred by anything else.

"Anything you want, sweetheart!" Max whispered, doing his best to help her adjust to him.

If he couldn't move his lower body yet, it didn't mean he couldn't find another way to make her feel good in the meantime and show her just how unbelievable this was to him as well. Lovingly so, he kissed her face, starting with her forehead, her eyelids, gradually descending to her button nose, her cheeks, until finally his mouth came to rest on hers, showing her with his lips and his tongue what he so wanted to do to her body. And all the while, his hands caressed her gently, running down the small of her back, her perfect behind, her thighs, everywhere he could touch her without compromising their position.

Relaxing in his loving arms, Liz started to react under the tender assault and soon she was rolling her hips ever so slowly, giving him the go ahead to continue what they had started. With as much slowness, Max matched her sensuous moves and before long he was thrusting in and out of her, relishing in how hot and wet she felt around him. Even with the foretaste he had had when he had entered her for the very first time a few minutes ago, nothing could have prepared him for the onslaught of sensations that assailed him when he _finally_ pounded into her body in earnest.

"You… y-you're inside me…" Liz gasped and whimpered almost in disbelief, the feel of him moving inside of her body being simply overwhelming. Nothing had ever felt this good. This right. This perfect. She could barely breathe from the sheer pleasure.

"I am, love!" Max concurred through gritted teeth, the feeling obviously being just as incredible to him as it seemed to be to her. Only at that moment he was absolutely convinced there would be no freaking way he would be able to last long. It was simply humanly impossible. Not with the way she made him feel and not when he had been waiting for this instant almost half of his life.

"You're so tight, baby… s-so warm… " he panted breathlessly as he pumped in and out of her steadily, pulling almost completely out before thrusting forward and sheathing himself into her as deep as he could go. "So _fucking_ wet!" he hissed into her hair when he realized it could definitely not be water anymore he was feeling running down to his crotch.

None of them really knew how long he kept sliding in and out of her tightness, or how long their slick and hot bodies ground and danced in tune from then on, the only thing they were still aware of was how good it felt and how perfectly in sync they could be.

None of them cared either if what they were doing made little sense and would be frowned upon considering they had never even really had a real conversation to this day, not more than they cared if they were caught and the whole world learnt about them. Their hearts and souls sang the same tune and knew this was right, and that was the only voice they could listen to.

It was better than right actually, it was everything Max had always imagined and so much more. It was like finally reaching home after having wandered alone for so long and he knew he would never be able to let go of her after this.

Even if she didn't express it with words, Liz was feeling the exact same way. She felt like she had never been really alive until she had finally discovered what it felt to have Max inside of her. It was the most amazing feeling ever and she surely hoped it would never stop. She just couldn't get enough of him, enough of his touch, of the feel of him, finding him just as intoxicating and addictive as he surely found her, and though she was unsure of herself at first and let him set their rhythm, she soon was matching his thrusts, her hips clashing into his as she used his shoulders for the leverage she needed.

Max was simply going out of his mind now, the overpowering desire and passion he felt for her streaming through him like liquid fire through his veins. His nails dug into the tender flesh of her bottom, most certainly hurting her, just like hers were on his shoulder blades but neither of them was lucid enough to mind. They were simply on sensory overload, fighting to keep some semblance of control, and at the same time unable to do much more than letting their bodies take over and lead them where they both wanted to go.

There was no stopping them anymore, Liz realized as one of her hands drifted down his arm and encountered his own. Fingers intertwined now, they kissed hungrily, their tongues mimicking the frenzied movements of their lower bodies, their mouths devouring and exploring, until it seemed they were just trying to crawl into each other's skins and become one at last.

The constant pressure on each other's hand spoke of the pleasure they both felt better than any words could at that moment, and would surely leave its mark, but neither Liz nor Max did notice. Nothing mattered but each other and what they were both seeking for.

Yet eventually, when she felt restrained in her movements by the way Max kept pinning her into the wall with each hard stroke, Liz desperately tried to free herself, needing something _more_, even if she couldn't tell herself what it was. Until their joined hands came into contact with exactly what could help her and she knew what to do.

"Ho-Hold me, M-Max!" she whimpered, unable to control the shaking in her voice, or her sigh of relief when he wrapped an arm securely around her, still unaware of what she planned to do.

If he had, he most likely would have thought about it twice before complying so quickly, because when Liz finally caught the metallic bar above them and started to gyrate her hips while she forced him to stay completely inside of her, he knew he would die.

The way he groaned then would have scared Liz if she hadn't been supremely pleased by the guttural sounds he emitted, and she inwardly thanked her mom for having made her go to gym classes. Max Evans looked like an animal in rut and it was all because of her. Good God how much she loved that thought.

As she undulated against him and he held her tightly around her waist to aid her motions, Max couldn't help but literally drool. If that position could have been ridiculous on anyone else, seeing Liz so out of control and working so energetically to take them both over the edge, was the sexiest and most fucking arousing thing he had ever seen.

Like it had a mind of his own then, one of his hands traveled all the way to her chest, and after having caressed her breast gently, he tugged on a nipple and smiled when Liz mewed in reaction. Loving those little breathy sounds she made more than anything, he then couldn't stop himself from trying to elicit more of them and it was with obvious eagerness that he descended on one pert nub.

His tongue twirled and flicked it, hoping to make Liz lose complete control, but when he bit gently onto it and her already tight passage constricted around his thick shaft as an aftereffect, he was the one to feel his world collapse.

"Oh, god… Liz… I-I should… I should p-pull out… I-I can't…" he cried out through clenched jaws then, knowing that he was now only a few more strokes from losing it completely.

Yet even as he spoke the words, he kept plunging into her body almost desperately even when the little common sense he still had left ordered him to comply immediately.

He had honestly not given it any second thoughts before, so eager he had been to finally be inside of her, but now even through the fog that still clouded his brain, he realized the risks they were taking. If he was sure the chances of contracting any disease were inexistent, Kyle being at least clever enough to never have unprotected sex from what he knew, _he_ could always get her pregnant and as much as the thought of Liz carrying his babies filled him with incommensurable joy, this was definitely not the better moment to start on the family he so wanted with her.

Only she wasn't sharing his view apparently and after having let go of the bar, she downright stopped him from pulling out of her by clamping her legs around him in a vice grip.

"W-What? No… no, no, _no_!" Liz all but screamed when he voiced his intentions, wondering what the heck he could be thinking.

She would not let him withdraw now, not when she was so close. No freaking way. She could feel it… she just needed… she… yeah, _that_…

"Liz, baby… I'm ready… to… _oh, fuck_…" Max grunted helplessly, his actions contradicting his words completely, as he thrust harder into her instead of slowing down like he should. "… blow!"

It was almost as if he couldn't even control what he was doing anymore. His mind told him one thing, but his body wanted, _needed_ something entirely different. Now guess who was winning?

And of course the fact that he could feel Liz's vaginal walls tightening around him surely didn't help the matter in any way. It looked like he could just go and start picking up names for that baby already, because there would be no way he would be out before it wouldn't be already too late.

"Oh… no, it's… ooh, Max… it's okay… I-I'm on the pill…" Liz managed to breath out once she got what had him worried, though how he understood anything she was saying between her moans, his groans and the frantic slapping of flesh together was a real wonder to him.

He didn't need to hear more however to finally let completely go of the little control he still had on his body and with greater urgency, he drove inside of her like he thought that would be the last thing he would be doing here on Earth.

The throaty and almost incessant moans Liz emitted then in response to his pounding spurred him on and for a moment he forgot that his thighs were starting to hurt from the exertion, the only thing he wanted being to finally cross that point of no return people talk about. With her.

Her nails racked his back, her teeth nibbled at his skin, almost hurting him at times, but he couldn't feel any of it. In and out he went, his moves growing more frenetic and urgent the more she voiced her appreciation.

Knowing that he was reaching his breaking point, he caressed her hip before easing his fingers between their joined bodies and stroked the bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs in small tight circles, making Liz cry out in pleasure and hiss his name in near supplication.

"Let it go, baby… I'm right here… I-I've got you!" he coaxed her urgently, his hands gripping her hips tightly as his lips crashed on hers and kissed the daylights out of her.

Moaning louder than he thought was possible, Liz shook almost violently in his arms when her core contracted around him, and driving him deeper than he had ever been before, she imprisoned him there, the trembling convulsions of her sex urging his own release. With a long serrated groan, he jerked a couple more times and emptied himself inside her satiny walls, the feeling leaving him nothing short of breathless.

Panting and sweating, they both clung to each other for a long moment, silent and just exchanging sweet tender caresses that helped them calm down, and this time when Max looked up to her, he knew the tears he could see brimming her eyes weren't bad ones anymore. He felt the exact same way and he would probably cry himself if he didn't think that wasn't exactly the best way to show he was now a man.

"Fuck!" he growled eventually when he was coherent enough again to utter a word.

Talk about things getting intense. He had surely not thought his first time would be that insane and passionate, but he had actually never thought it would take place in a shower either, so that was probably not saying much. Not that he wanted to complain or anything of course, but man, if it already got so out of hands now, what would it be after years of practice with her. She most likely would be the end of him.

"My thought exactly!" Liz panted just as out of breath, her fingers threading through the hair at the nape of Max's neck and only serving to prolong the amazing sensation. If given the choice, he would gladly stay in that position for the rest of his life.

"You okay?" he couldn't help but ask as their eyes eventually met, even if by the way she had been moaning his name in absolute pleasure a few minutes ago, he more or less already knew she was.

"Yes… never been better!" Liz answered truthfully before kissing his lips softly in reassurance.

The kiss was way more gentle now, softer, but it still managed to turn her inside to mush. It was just the way he kissed her, whether it was passionately or not, it was always so special, she just couldn't get enough of him.

"You're so beautiful!" Max murmured between sweet kisses, still somewhat unable to completely grasp on the fact that he had just made love to such breathtaking creature and that the light flush that still covered her cheeks was his doing.

He was still even inside of her, he realized, the knowledge being enough to give him goosebumps all over again.

"I guess we could use another shower now…" he considered after a moment, eventually pulling out of her but not without almost whimpering at the loss of her warmth.

He was glad though to see that Liz was apparently feeling the same way as she almost immediately tightened her legs and arms around him and held him in a strong hug while she just nodded in response. She rested her head against his shoulder and only when he turned the tap on again and stepped under the stream with her still plastered to him, did she find the strength to talk again.

"Are you not going to put me down?" she wondered out loud, arching into him while he held her so that the water could wet her hair completely. She could only imagine how disheveled she had looked till a minute ago even if Max apparently hadn't seemed to mind the 'ravished look' on her.

"Nope, didn't plan to… I kind of like having you in my arms, Liz Parker!" he admitted hoarsely when he saw her combing her fingers through her now damped hair while water streamed down her chest. She weighed nothing in his arms anyway, but he loved the feeling too much to let her go and wanted to savor the moment as long as he could.

His eyes still strained on her, he wondered if she even realized just how arousing that gesture could be to him, moreover when she was completely naked in his arms and there was absolutely no possibility for him to miss the way her breasts bounced slightly when she did so. It was taking all he had inside to not just lash again onto the taut rosy nipples that were pointing straight at him.

Ignoring the effect her not so innocent movements were having on him, Liz reached out for her body gel, but was almost instantly stopped by Max when he realized what she planned to do.

"Let me!" he demanded, taking the bottle out of her hand and squeezing a generous amount of liquid into his own when she wrapped both her arms around his neck again.

Considering how long he had been daydreaming of soaping her body up ever since he had seen her entering earlier, he was certainly not going to let her take care of that alone. Nope, this was definitely a job for him, he thought, turning around so she wouldn't be directly under the spray anymore, and he smiled sweetly at her when she didn't fight him on that but just nodded in response and lovingly smoothed his hair back so it wouldn't fall into his eyes.

"Hold on!" he advised gently, knowing that there wouldn't be any wall to support her anymore this time and he would be needing both his hands to do what he wanted to.

Very slowly he started to lather up her skin, beginning at her feet, smirking when Liz moaned at the unexpected contact, and then leisurely ascended up her calves, paying particular attention to the crook of her knees, zone that was definitely more sensitive than what he could have imagined if he judged by the little mewling sounds that escaped Liz's lips when he concentrated his efforts just there.

"You like this?" he asked for the form, almost chuckling out loud when Liz loosened the grip she had on him just enough to pine him with a '_what do you think?_' look.

She didn't like it, she loved it. She never would have thought such light touch there could bring her so much pleasure or turn her on so much, but that was definitely something she would have to remember for further exploitation. Maybe it would be different if her skin wasn't wet? She sure would have to find out.

She didn't have time to answer Max with words though, as he just chose the moment she opened her mouth to speak to run his fingers up her thighs, stopping only mere inches from her femininity, and for endless minutes tortured her there.

"Max!" Liz cried out frustrated after a while when his fingers kept teasing the juncture of her thighs, then her bottom, but never really went further. Just like before.

God, how could she still need his touch so much, just _there_, after what they had just done? You would think that she would be satisfied for the time being, but no. She needed more, she needed him and she knew all too well there would be no way for her to not ask him to take her again if she didn't take matters into hands and diverted her attention for a moment.

Not that she really minded what he was doing, but she could definitely enjoy some sweet torture of her own now.

"My turn!" she exclaimed when his little teasing game became too much, and after having smeared some gel into her hands herself, she mimicked Max's actions.

Since she was still in his arms, she couldn't very well start at his legs, but it didn't stop her from making the experience just as sensual. With a sexy mischievous smile that had Max growling in anticipation and what could only be desire, she reached behind her for Max's hands that were now almost nervously gripping her bottom, and intertwined their fingers together only a few seconds, before she caressed his hands, then moved up his strong arms, marveling at the feel of his rippled muscles under her fingers. Enjoying the way his breathing became shallower the more she touched him, she didn't stop until she reached his shoulders and kneaded the flesh there, until she felt Max stirring to life against her and decided it was time to move to the next stage.

"Put me down!" she purred into his ear, and couldn't help but giggle when she heard his sharp intake of breath when he helped her glide down his body as slowly as he could, but consequently trapped his once more growing hardness between their wet bodies. At least momentarily.

"Turn around!" Liz commanded once she was on her feet and forced him to move so she was the one partially under the jets of water this time.

Quickly stopping any pretense that she really meant to wash his body, she trailed her fingers down his torso before following that same path with her mouth, but when Max tried to reach out to her and pull her even closer to him, she immediately slapped his wandering hands, making a tsking warning sound that had him pouting in what Liz thought was the cutest way.

"No touching!" she scolded him, biting lightly on one hard nipple, before licking the sting away right afterwards.

"Liz, baby!" Max whined like a little boy who wasn't having his way, but Liz refused to show any mercy. He had wanted to play, he would soon understand that two could play that game.

Trying her hardest to not cave at his puppy dog face, Liz dropped to her knees and Max felt his nearly giving out under him at seeing just how close her face was to his throbbing member now.

If he just moved a little forward, even just a few inches, he could touch its tip to her lips and finally discover what it felt to have her caressing him in the most intimate way, but if Liz knew what he was thinking about and what he wanted she didn't act like it.

Instead she ran her hands down his legs, working with the little soap that was still covering his body and had run down his sides, and pretended that she didn't realize just how aroused he was.

Yeah, as if. It was the only thing she could see, the only thing she could think about. It was kind of hard not to notice when it was all too evident he was ready to explode with or without her help, but she planned to make him suffer a little more. Just like he had made her suffer before.

Neglecting the part where he ached the most, Liz reached for the bottle she had dropped before and poured more soap into her hands. Unhurriedly, she stroked his calves like he had done to her not long ago, and then just as slowly made her way up his muscled thighs, doing her best to not smile and give anything away when she noticed Max unconsciously moving closer to her.

She knew she was being mean, but she loved the sensation of power that filled her when she saw how he was reacting to her and to her only touch. It was almost overwhelming to know that she had wanted this man so much and for so long and now that she had him exactly where she had always dreamed of having him, he wanted her just as much if not more.

At the same time she reached behind him to cup his firm ass, she started dropping little butterfly kisses on Max's hip and felt her own excitation increasing when he gasped her name breathlessly and held onto her shoulders for support.

Taking her sweet time, she slowly trailed her hands to his front and down his hipbone, until Max cupped her face as gently as he could considering his state and pleaded with her to touch him already.

Hooded brown pools meeting amber in a sizzling gaze burning with passion, she licked her lips provocatively and smiled devilishly but never broke eye contact with him. She wanted to see the expression on his face when she would finally give him what he needed.

And man if he needed it. It was actually only because he didn't want to shock her with his roughness that Max resisted the urge to just grab her and force himself on her, but there was no saying just how hard not doing so was. The worse was that he could clearly see that Liz knew what she was doing to him, or how much she enjoyed seeing him squirm in front of her, her impish smile said as much.

She was loving this, she wanted to get back at him for his own teasing, and she was definitely succeeding. At this point it only took for her to moisten her lips to nearly send him over the edge considering he was literally dying to feel them on him, to feel her tongue tracing his shaft, and it was little wonder so if his eyes all but rolled to the back of his head when her wet hand finally closed around his aching erection.

Her name passed his lips in a low growl, almost covered by Liz's own throaty moan when she saw the pleasure etching on his face. At that moment, she didn't think there was anything more beautiful than Max Evans blissfully aroused. His bottom lip was caught between his teeth, his fingers were threading restlessly through her hair, but it was his eyes that revealed the more: desire, passion, and lust swirled into their depths, darkening the usual amber hue she loved so much to the point they almost looked black from where she stood. And she had just started to stroke him, how would he react when she would finally do what she so wanted to at that moment?

Unable to wait any longer to find out, she tentatively darted out her tongue, barely running it over the head of Max's hard sex, but it was enough for her to feel him shaking under her hands. She kept caressing him slowly, still amazed at how big he could feel into her tiny hand, and at the same time proceeded to kiss and lick every inch her fingers and palm couldn't cover.

Max couldn't tear his eyes off her even if his life depended on it, the feeling of her tongue on him combined with the visual doing incredible things to him. It was definitely different from being inside of her, but just as intense and amazingly pleasurable to him. Her touch was uncertain, he could tell, but it didn't take anything to the effect it had on him. It was actually indescribable, having Liz Parker on her knees, licking him from root to tip like she couldn't get enough of his taste. He knew the feeling all too well, he could have probably eaten her out himself until she would have had no choice but to beg him to stop. Which didn't bode well for him if she was as persistent as he could be.

Liz for her part didn't think so far, the only thing she wanted was to have more of that salty taste she had been granted with a second ago, and she knew she wouldn't be able to stop until she would be rewarded with exactly what she needed.

More daring now, she sucked him lightly, taking only a little of him between her lips for now though, just long enough to get used to the feeling. It felt warm under her tongue, but just as soft as he had felt under her fingers the very first time she had touched him.

"Liz, s-sweetness… m-maybe you shouldn't do… this… _oh, god_… " Max groaned when she started sucking on him more greedily, sure that he wouldn't be able to take much more of this.

She was simply driving him insane and never mind the fact that he had just climaxed barely minutes ago, it wouldn't be long before he would explode again. He wasn't sure she would like that though, but if she didn't stop right now there would be no way he could control himself. This was all too much, better than any fantasy he could have had, he thought as his fingers caressed her cheeks and then pulled her hair back, so nothing could obstruct his view. No matter how real it felt, he sure still had a hard time believing that Liz was really going down on him.

Partially encouraged by his moans, Liz moved her hand faster when she felt Max thrusting his hips forward, involuntarily forcing her to take more of him into her mouth, and she gladly let him, enjoying the fact that she affected him enough for him to let himself go almost completely. She didn't think he realized what he was doing, and truth be told she had never done this before herself, never _wanted_ to do this to anyone but him, but by the way he grunted above her, she obviously made up in enthusiasm for what she lacked in practice and experience.

Concentrating on bringing him the release she knew he needed, she bobbed her head up and down along his shaft, taking the way Max gripped a handful of hair tightly into his hand for the sign she needed to know he was very close to the end.

She didn't see him cocking his head to the side however, watching mesmerized as his member disappeared into the hot crevice of her mouth, or how he closed his eyes in delight when her teeth grazed his length briefly. She was acting on pure instinct there, not sure of what she was doing herself, but as long as he seemed to appreciate that was all that mattered to her.

"Liz… Liz… you should… baby, s-stop!" Max rasped out desperately, clenching his teeth and his fists at his side now in a vain effort to not cry out at the tremendous pleasure that coursed through his veins at that instant, but to no avail.

God, his own hand had never felt this good. No, no matter how trained it could be, it didn't even come close to what Liz could make him feel with just a brush of her own fingers, a touch of her lips, a flick of her velvety tongue. He was so close. So very close.

Yet, if she heard him, Liz didn't seem to care about his obvious distress and he groaned once more when she eventually cupped his sacs and added even more pressure to her hungry sucking motions.

Having enduring all he could, he roared helplessly, and before he could warn her again, he felt himself erupting into her hot mouth, surprised when Liz actually didn't seem to mind like he had assumed and instead swallowed all she could until he had nothing left to give.

Giving him time to catch his breath, Liz kept kissing his flesh then until the last tremors in his body subsided and Max was grateful for the short moment of reprieve. His skin felt like it was tingling everywhere and he knew he wasn't far from just going to the floor with her himself.

Looking down at her, he smiled when he saw her cupping water into her hands and then rinse away whatever evidence was still left of what she had just done, her hands soothing his flaccid flesh now feeling as good as they had felt when she was exciting it.

God, how much he loved this woman.

"Come here!" he called out to her when he couldn't take being so far of her anymore, and in one quick motion she was up and in his arms again.

He held her tightly for a short moment, loving how she fitted so perfectly against him, and then scooped her up gently and cradled her lovingly in his arms, smiling once more when she instinctively wrapped her legs around him.

As he brushed some wet strands off her face and kissed her softly, he tasted himself on her lips, but contrary to what he could have believed the thought of what he had just done didn't disgust him in any way. He actually liked kissing her too much to even bother with what was after all an insignificant detail compared to all the rest.

"Do you want me to wash your hair?" he demanded in an uncertain voice when they pulled apart, not wanting her to realize just how obsessed he was with it.

It was really a shame it was all wet though, and he would probably not have the opportunity to run his fingers through its amazing length and discover if it was just as soft as he had always imagined it when it was dry, at least not right now.

"No, it's okay… I already did it!" she replied, the wicked smile on her lips telling him that she knew he had already known about that since he had been there and seen her do so then. "Maybe next time!" she promised teasingly, briefly wondering afterwards if there wasn't more to what he had asked than what she understood. He just seemed too disappointed to be honest.

Smiling back, he nodded a quick okay, but couldn't help but thread his fingers through the dark locks all the way down to the small of her back nonetheless. The now tepid water pounded their bodies but none of them seemed to mind the now colder temperature. They were just content to feel one another's warmth, relishing on how good it felt to be able to hold each other.

"So… uh… who is the lucky guy who… you know…before… " Max asked as casually as he could after a while, still rubbing her back like what he had just said wasn't of great importance to him.

He didn't know why he was imposing this kind of torture on himself because he surely didn't want to hear her confirm that Kyle Valenti had been her first or just how extraordinary he had been, but for some weird reason he needed to ask. Maybe because some wild part of him hoped she would see through his insecurities and tell him that whoever it had been he could never compare to him or what she had felt while being with him, but there it was, he would probably not be able to let it go if he didn't have a clear answer.

"I know?" Liz cocked an eyebrow and stared at him with a blank expression that didn't reveal much of what she could be thinking.

"Yeah… _you know_… " Max shrugged uneasily, wanting her to understand without him having to utter the words, but either she really didn't see what he meant, or she just wanted to hear him say them. "Oh c'mon Liz, don't make me say it, please." he whined and grimaced when he realized that she was obviously not playing him.

"You mean…" she trailed off when her mind registered exactly what he was trying to say.

Of course he would want to know. The weird thing was probably that he hadn't asked before that. He was a guy after all, and guys usually wanted to know this kind of things, no matter how much they tried to play it off and act like they didn't care.

"Yeah!" he expelled in a long but relieved breath, glad that he wouldn't have to tell her anything like '_who's the fucking asshole whot got you first, 'cause he deserves to die_!'

"No one!" she stated before realizing by Max's frowning face that it didn't make much sense to him. "I mean, _you_… I-I never did… before… I… I mean I-I was a… " she stammered trying to get the words out, but Max didn't give her the opportunity to finish on her own.

"A what?" he urged her on, because clearly she couldn't be saying what he thought she was saying. Granted he was not experienced himself but he would have noticed if she were what he was thinking she was, wouldn't he? He couldn't be _that_ clueless about women!

"A virgin not an hour ago…" she revealed, briefly wondering why he looked so surprised. Then again considering she had gone out with Kyle and he had the reputation to have bedded almost every girl he had been seen with, it would be no wonder then if Max truly believed that she had been one of them, too, moreover since he had probably noticed that she hadn't been completely '_intact_' anymore.

If he only knew. But it wasn't like she could really just come out and tell him '_hey I just meant to play a little with myself but got somewhat carried away and the next thing I knew, bam I had no hymen left for you to break anymore. Hope you don't mind_'. That would definitely not do, would it?

"Y-You were?" he asked completely bewildered, even if her innocent and sincere expression was enough to prove him she was indeed telling him the truth. He didn't have time to rejoice over the fact though, since his mind was already working frantically at finding an explanation to what he had felt. Or rather _not_. "… but how… I mean… I didn't… you didn't… there was no… I-I… oh, god…"

"You're cute when you stutter, you know!" Liz teased him playfully, not really seeing where the big deal was. She had more expected him to be overjoyed with the news actually, not near a panic attack. Why did guys always have to be so weird, huh?

"Liz… I'm serious, god… I'm so sorry!" he all but cried out, thinking that this was definitely not the best time to joke.

What kind of idiot was he to not have noticed before? And why in the hell had he believed any fucking word that came out of Kyle Valenti's mouth? No wonder she had seemed to be in great pain when he had entered her. He definitively should have known better and figured out a long time ago that he had to be lying and that Liz wasn't the type of girls who would cave so easily, not with someone like Kyle, even if what had just happened could belie his thoughts.

He just hoped that he wasn't reading too much into this now then, and that it was only because it had been 'him' that she had let this occur. He wanted this to be different for her, special and not to have happened only because he had been at the right place, at the right time, though he honestly doubted that Liz would have gone so far with him if she had not really wanted him, even before that. He surely also hoped that meant that she at least felt a little something for him. That wasn't too much to demand, was it?

"S-Sorry? what for?" Liz almost immediately sobered up and questioned nervously as she eventually grew concerned by his strange reaction.

Did it change anything that she had been a virgin? Did it make him regret what had happened? It didn't make any sense to her but apparently it was affecting Max more than she would have thought possible.

Oh, god. What if he was panicking because realizing that she had never done this before made it harder for him to let her down easily now? Maybe he hadn't cared before because he had thought this wouldn't be her first time and therefore he wouldn't be taking anything he wouldn't be able to give back once it would be over. Maybe then he could have faced himself knowing that they had both enjoyed a good time together but it wouldn't really have any repercussions if he meant this to only be a one time occurrence. Of course learning that he had '_deflowered_' her now would change everything if that had been his intention.

No, god, she couldn't think like that. This was Max she was talking about and Max was _nothing_ like all those other guys who would have no qualms acting that way and taking advantage of her. No matter how little she still knew about him, she was sure he wouldn't do something so horrible to her. Or would he?

"I… I didn't know… I thought… I-I should… I don't know… I should have been gentler… I-I shouldn't have…" he stammered self-deprecatingly, eventually admitting what was really bothering him, which managed to ease some of Liz's fears, at least for the time being.

He was a moron and he would only have himself to blame if she thought so as well now, Max berated himself angrily. He shouldn't have concluded anything, he should have just '_asked_' beforehand to be sure. After all if he considered himself mature enough to have sex, he should have been as well to verify this type of things. If he had known, he would have been way more careful and he would have certainly not taken her the way he had, against a wall, like they had done that a million times already and she was used to such aggressiveness. If he already felt bad before due to the circumstances of their first sexual experience together, now he could say he was feeling like shit after realizing that this had actually been her very first time at all.

Unable to look at her so guilty he was feeling, he tried to hide his face into the crook of her neck, cursing himself for his thoughtlessness, but Liz wouldn't have any of it.

What did he think he was doing? Did he hear her complaining about anything? She didn't think so, and she wouldn't change a thing even if she was given the choice. No matter how long she would live, she would always remember her first time as one of the most sensual, erotic and pleasurable experiences she could have hoped for. What more did he want? And how many girls could say so, huh?

Not every girl wanted their first time to be in a bed with soft music in the background and whatever else, she knew that had never necessarily been her ideal scenario anyway or the way she had pictured it and at least, unlike many others, she couldn't say that hers had not been original, so he had nothing to be sorry for. That and the fact that considering how much she had enjoyed this time, she honestly couldn't wait for the next one.

And they said it only got better with practice, if that were true, she might very well not survive their next encounter. If he wanted them to have a next time of course, he hadn't hinted anything about that yet, but she would rather not go down that road and think about that again. No, right now what she needed was to concentrate on him and convince Max that she absolutely didn't regret what they had just done.

"Shh… Hey, it was perfect, Max…" she stopped him in his almost inaudible muttering and after pulling slightly apart, or at least as much as she could in their position, she gently lifted his chin so he could see the truth of her words on her face. "_You_ were perfect!"

"A-Are you sure?… 'cause I could ha-… I… m-maybe… " he demanded still only half-convinced, and this time Liz didn't have any other choice but to silence him with a kiss. At least she hoped that if nothing else could, this would do the trick.

"I wouldn't have wanted it any different way!" she assured him truthfully once they came up for air, just in case the rest had not been enough yet, and she was pleased when she saw the crease that had been marring his forehead slowly disappearing.

Gradually she felt him relaxing again, then he kissed her again and she knew that he had finally understood that it didn't matter where or how they had done it as long as it had been together and they had both enjoyed it.

"Okay… " he whispered at last, but Liz could see that he still had some questions and she wasn't surprised when he voiced them aloud. "… but how is it possible that you didn't… y-you know…" he stammered uncomfortably, almost immediately wondering why he even asked.

The most important to him was of course to know that no one had touched her like he had before today, and more particularly not Kyle. But maybe he could learn a thing or two about women, even if of course the knowledge wouldn't really serve him now since he absolutely didn't plan to be with anyone but Liz and it was already too late in her case to put the information to use.

If it had been anyone but him, Liz would have rather died before even thinking about revealing what she was about to share with him, but strangely at that moment, with Max, she didn't feel any embarrassment or any shame. Maybe because she sensed that he really wanted to know, _needed_ it even, and if it was important to him, she didn't mind answering his question. She just hoped he wouldn't be too shocked once he would know the truth or think less of her. After all she was pretty sure that he saw her as this sweet and innocent girl -and usually she was, unless she was thinking of him- but this could probably change that image he had of her.

"Well, I have toys Mr. Evans… and a lot of imagination…" she replied, a certain amount of mischief dancing in her eyes, but despite her teasing, she had been more expecting him to smile back at her than to see him gawk at her with a dumbfounded expression on his beautiful face. Even if that didn't last long.

As soon as the implications of what she was saying downed on him, his eyes grew darker and she could have sworn he would break her in two with the way his grip tightened around her. He looked ready to ravish her again, right then right there, and Liz couldn't help thinking that only for that, she would have to thank Maria once more for that 18th birthday present she had gotten her a few months ago. And to say that she had thought about disowning her when she had unwrapped the gift, how stupid was that? Only to see this look on Max's face, she was glad Maria had thought offering her dildo was a good idea, even if she had almost originally sworn she would never use it.

"But if you want me to tell you a little secret… you were my first…" she continued huskily then paused just to be sure her next words would have the effect she had been going for, "… _both_ times!" she finished in a breathy murmur, delighted in the groan he emitted, though she couldn't tell if it was because of what she had just told him, or because she couldn't help rubbing herself against him at that same moment. Any way, it didn't take Max long to react but never in her wildest dreams could she have fathomed what his own next words would be or the impact they would have on her.

"God, is it too soon to tell you that I love you?" Max growled hoarsely in response when he pictured her pleasuring herself with thoughts of him clouding her senses, and realized only too late what he had just said.

Maybe it indeed was, too soon that is. Maybe she didn't want to hear about it and he had just ruined everything between them. Who said he loved a girl after only having been with her an hour anyway? she would probably not believe him or think he was going crazy. Yet he had never been surer of anything in his life. He loved her, more than anything or anyone else in this world and now she finally knew it. Only considering her reaction he couldn't be sure she had been ready to hear it.

During the few seconds it took Liz to answer him, Max could swear his heart had just stopped beating and he cursed himself once more for being stupid and not thinking before speaking. It got only worse when after seeing Liz's eyes grow wide in what he could only guess was shock, she then bit her lip uncertainly and he couldn't help thinking that this couldn't be a good sign. He knew she usually only did that when she was extremely nervous, and the last thing he wanted was for her to feel uneasy, or scared, or anything that could come close to that.

Damn, what had he done? Give the guy a prize folks because he was surely winning them all.

She was hallucinating. She had to, Liz thought because clearly she couldn't have heard him right. Max hadn't just said he loved her, had he? And if he had, was he serious, or was it just something that had escaped his lips just like that, without him even realizing it or what was worse meaning it?

Not certain of what she was supposed to think, she blinked at him, once, twice, mouth agape, a million thoughts running through her mind at that instant, but no matter how much the prospect paralyzed her, she knew there was only one way to know for sure.

"I-If you mean it… n-no…" Liz stuttered after a moment of hesitation and then lowered her head shyly, feeling self-conscious but most of all terrified he would suddenly tell her that he was only kidding or anything like that. She didn't think she could bear hearing him retract the words now that he had spoken them.

"I do… I-I've been in love with you for so long, Liz… I was just too scared and… and too coward to come to you… you don't know how much I regret it though…" cupping her face gently, he stumbled over the words himself of course, but nothing could have stopped him from telling her how he felt at that point.

Not when it became clear to him that she wasn't repulsed by the idea and even less rejecting it or anything alike, but just caught completely off guard. He could work with that. What he couldn't deal with though was if she told him she didn't want to have anything to do with him or that she didn't give a damn about what he could feel for her.

"M-Max… I… " she choked out, having a hard time fighting back the tears that blurred her vision.

God, this was really happening. He was really telling her that he loved her, wasn't he? Honestly if it had been anyone else but him, she would have probably not believe such an avowal, not when they were just starting what was still an undefined relationship, and she would have even wondered if there weren't hidden motives behind such beautiful words, but the way he looked at her, the way he had touched her ever since she had discovered him there earlier, spoke of a tenderness and a love that couldn't be feigned.

No, every single word he told her had to be true, she couldn't doubt it, but how she was supposed to react after that she didn't know. What was she supposed to tell him? Or rather _how_ was she supposed to make him understand that she felt the exact same way when no sound seemed to be able to get past the huge lump that cloaked her throat.

"It's okay… you don't have to say it back… I mean… I underst-…" Max rushed on when her voice cracked, not wanting her to feel forced to answer anything to his own declaration. He hadn't told her for any other reason than because after having waited so long for this moment, he felt he would just explode if he didn't get it out of his chest.

He didn't care if she loved him back right now or not, as long as she wanted to give him, _them_ a chance, with time he would prove her that he was worthy of her love. He would love enough for both of them, he knew he could, and therefore living with just the hope that she could some day reciprocate his feelings would be all he needed and more than enough.

"No… no, it's not… " she shook her head frantically when she understood he had mistaken her inability to talk for a lack of feelings on her part, and after swallowing audibly she tried again. " I-I love you, too, Max… I love y-you so much!" she declared fervently, before kissing his lips desperately and then wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him as tightly as she could.

"I love you!" Max repeated just as emotionally, all the while holding her for dear life, the feel of her so close to him bringing him the strength he needed to not break down himself.

He had imagined a thousand times how it would feel to be loved by Liz, to hear the words coming out of her mouth, but nothing could have prepared him for the whirlwind of emotions that washed over him the instant they did. And by the way she was clinging to him or the way she trembled perceptively in his arms, she had to be feeling just the same.

It was almost too much, something that was so surreal he was just about considering questioning the veracity of the moment but when he felt her trailing her lips down his throat, he all but forgot everything about that or what he had been thinking. She was there. She was in his arms, and she said she loved him, let it be a dream if that was all it was, he just didn't want to wake up ever again then.

Even if she might actually not give him the choice, the way she sucked at the pulse of his neck and undulated against him being probably more than enough to wake up even the dead.

Her tongue teased his jaw line mercilessly until Max had no other choice but to stop her if he wanted to say what he had wanted to tell her when she had confessed having been a virgin herself until him. He just hoped she would be as elated about the news as he had been himself once the initial shock had worn off.

"Baby… " he stilled her hips and started hesitantly, waiting for her to look at him to pursue, but the words got caught in his throat the second he met her trustful eyes. "You… uh… I… "

"Yeah?… tell me…" sucking his lip between her own, she coaxed him gently, that smile of hers he loved so much giving him the confidence he could have needed to continue.

"Y-You were my f-first, too… " he plunged on but couldn't stop himself from blushing to the roots of his hair even as he did so.

Of course he didn't mind telling her the truth but he couldn't help wondering what she would think now when she would understand that he had not known what he was doing himself or if he was only doing it right.

"R-Really?" she stammered somewhat in awe and nibbling at her bottom lip in what Max thought was the sexiest way possible, but just as she asked the question, she could clearly see the answer in his eyes and she couldn't express how much that thought pleased her.

She had of course wondered before that even if she had not dared hope too much considering how assured he had seemed all along, but knowing he had been a virgin himself only made the experience even more incredibly special to her.

Then again, if she really thought about it, the chances he was as inexperienced as she was herself had been greater than the opposite if you considered that she had never really seen him with a girl before, but still, there was so much she didn't know about him that before this instant she couldn't have been sure of anything.

"It's always been you, Liz… I could never be with anyone else!" Max confessed in a soft whisper, hoping he could make her understand just how important she had always been to him. She was the only woman he had ever loved, and if she wanted him, he had no doubt that she would be the last.

Tears prickled Liz's eyelids once more as she saw him looking at her with his heart in his eyes and she had to gulp for air several times to be sure that she wouldn't just break down and cry at his sweet admission, but boy how hard it was to not to. She didn't think that had been what he had been aiming for though, and she definitely didn't want him to mistake her reaction again.

In an effort to ease the sudden tension that filled the air so, and probably take off some of the seriousness as well, she tried to joke mildly, but it failed when her own words came out way hoarser than what she had wanted them to.

"C-Can I be your second, too?" she asked and nearly cringed when she heard her voice cracking by the end of her sentence. However, how could anyone blame her? This man she loved beyond any rational thought had just admitted to her that he had never wanted anyone but her, she was entitled to get emotional and go to pieces, wasn't she?

"And my third… my fourth… my forever…" Max caressed her face and whispered against her lips, punctuating each statement with a tender kiss, each sweet syllable sounding like a promise he hoped Liz knew he intended to keep. There would never be another _her_. She was the one and only for him.

Unable to resist any longer, she kissed him back only more eagerly maybe, showing him with her acts just how much that meant to her. It not only thrilled her beyond measure, it also gave her hope for a future with him. She couldn't believe he would be so loving, and admit such things if he didn't see their relationship going in the same direction as she did herself. They were meant to be. Whether they voiced it out loud just yet or not, they both knew it and that was all that seemed to matter.

Assured in how strong what they felt for each other could be, she kissed him with all she had inside, barely giving him any opportunity to breathe properly, until Max thought he would have to pry her lips off his if he didn't want to pass out from the lack of air. That was actually the last thing he wanted to do, but things were heating up so fast again, there was only one way he could see them ending.

"M-Maybe we should… get out of here f-first…" he suggested between kisses and groans, knowing he would be forced to take her right there, right then again if they didn't.

Balancing her between himself and the wall once more when she nodded, he quickly turned off the water, grabbed for the only towel that was miraculously not soaked yet, and proceeded to dry her off.

"Hold on to me tight, sweetheart!" he commanded softly, the gentleness of his tone matching the tenderness with which he took care of her, making sure he blotted most of the water off her hair, and then as best as he could, dried her skin as well.

"Hurry!" she ordered back, sure that she wouldn't be able to wait much longer for him to finish.

She didn't care if they made a mess of the place, or if she caught a cold after that, she wanted him, _again_, with a passion that scared even herself, and the sexy chuckle he emitted in response to her obvious impatience certainly didn't help in any way to quench the fire that burned her to her very core.

"Thank you!" she whispered in a seductive purr when he was done, running her tongue along his bottom lip in what Max could only guess was her very own way to show him her gratitude.

"Y-You're welcome!" he groaned back as she skillfully managed to position her dripping center at the tip of his engorged member.

Not needing anymore encouragement, he surged forward, embedding himself inside her warm depths in one deep thrust, though this time he did his best to keep some kind of control and eased himself into her more gently than he had before.

His hands immediately cupped her behind to support her and it was almost blindly that he stepped out of the shower stall, not caring for a second about the trail of water he left behind them.

His lips slanted over hers, capturing every blissful moan that would have escaped them had he given her the opportunity to let them go. Pleasure rippled through her in a tidal wave with each of his movement, and she couldn't do much more than hold on to him the best she could and enjoy the ride.

Max didn't even know where he had meant to take them, but they actually didn't make it farther than the locker room middle bench, where Liz proceeded to drive him completely insane and showed him just how flexible she truly was.

His mouth never leaving hers, his tongue enjoying the sweet, sensual dance it had started with hers, he straddled the bench, Liz still on top of him, with the clear intention to have her riding him until they would be both reduced to a mass of quivering flesh, but Liz changed his plans when with him still deeply sheathed inside of her, she lay completely on her back, throwing him for a loop.

They both gasped at the new position, and Max actually thought he would just die at the sight of her completely stretched in front of him, her still damp hair fanning around her, her breasts high and her nipples hard.

Slowly his gaze drifted to where their bodies connected in the most intimate way, and he growled like an animal when he saw his hard member disappearing in and out of her tight moisten walls. Her legs were wrapped tightly around his middle, and with much gentleness he pushed on her bended knees, spreading them wider than he had ever thought any woman could go, but all the while his eyes remained strained on his shaft, glistening with her juices, mesmerized by the way he stretched her center and how she swallowed him whole.

He had never considered himself much of a voyeur until then, but he would lie if he said that he didn't like what he was seeing, how much that turned him on, or how seeing her moving that way was driving him nuts. They were beautiful together, no matter what they did, there was no doubt in his mind. Even if right now, he didn't even need to do a thing per say, _she_ was doing all the job for them, rolling her hips, rocking languidly against him, taking him so slow but thoroughly, it was a wonder he hadn't lost it already.

His hands moved up her shapely legs till they cradled her hips to give her the little support he could still provide to help her moves, but as far as he was concerned, she was doing fine all by herself.

His eyes were automatically drawn to her face, flushed with desire, when she moaned his name, her voice pleading, and the way she looked back at him then was nearly his undoing.

Her lips swollen and a dark red color now, proof that she had been thoroughly kissed, called him repeatedly, and when her fingers caressed and entwined with his once more before pulling him down to her, he was unable to not give her exactly what she asked for.

Willingly he went and was soon lying completely on top of her, picking up where she had left and plunging in and out of her again like he had done so many times already.

Skin to skin, fingers still enlaced above her head, he kissed her ravenously mimicking the sensuous moves of his grinding pelvis, slowing and picking up pace according to Liz's sighs and pleas.

He loved the fact that she could be so vocal and even more that he was the one putting her in such a state. She was so responsive to him, it made him want to never leave this place, to never leave her insides, no matter how unrealistic that could be.

It was already a miracle he was able to go on with the way she made him feel, but there was no way he would let go without taking her with him. He had never been one to be selfish, he would certainly not start today and even less with her. Not when he knew just how insanely beautiful she could be when she fell completely apart into his arms, and certainly not when bringing her to ecstasy was enough to satisfy him as well. He guessed that was what came with being crazily in love with someone, but even if that was not the case, Liz certainly deserved the best he could offer her.

Without stopping in his pounding, one hand grabbed both of hers, not minding in the least when she nearly crushed his fingers in reaction to what he supposed was an intense wave of pleasure seizing her, while he let the other one trail down her body, taking his time to knead her supple breast briefly, before skimming down her side and her thigh, until he reached the crook of her knee and ever so gently hooked his arm under it. Lifting her leg up, he groaned when it opened her up even more and allowed him to sink even deeper into her, and Liz cried out just along with him at the feeling.

"M-Max… I… M-Maax…" she sobbed incoherently, writhing in bliss under him and finally letting go of his hand before she could really hurt him.

She nearly died though when Max took that opportunity to position her other leg just the same way he had the first, bending them to the point her knees nearly touched her breasts, and after griping the edges of the bench for help, rammed into her faster and harder than he had ever before.

"I know… I-I know, b-baby!" was the only thing he was still able to say as he felt her walls grip him tightly and clamp around him, just as her nails dug into his ass and made him involuntarily press her harder into the hard bench.

Liz was past caring about that at this point though, the only thing she wanted was for him to never stop, to never let go of her. The things he made her feel were beyond words. The only thing still clear in her mind was that when he kissed her, it felt like everything was right in the world. When he held her she was sure that nothing could happen to her, and when he made love to her, she felt like the most special and precious girl on Earth.

A girl who right now was feeling feverish, as if her insides were boiling from the passion unfurling in her, and Max was the only one to be able to tame that fire. The more he cherished her body, the more she wanted, and the more she pleaded with him to continue.

Until the pleasure that consumed her became so intense that she had no other choice but to let it go, and in a loud wail that had Max quivering in response himself, she felt herself falling over the edge, her spasming walls bringing him the release he had so desperately been seeking for as well.

For the longest time afterwards, satiated but trembling, they stayed almost unmoving, just relishing on the feel of each other's arms, and took their time to cool their bodies down and bring their labored breaths back to normal. Through it all, Liz ran her fingers down Max's back in a calming manner, while Max played with her hair and nuzzled her neck with his nose affectionately, until he eventually kissed his way up to her lips and looked at her again.

"I love you so much, Elizabeth!" Max murmured out of the blue but just as lovingly as ever, his fingers smoothing her hair back with such tenderness he nearly made her cry again.

Instead of losing it though, she smiled at him in the most endearing way and his heart skipped a beat as he was hit once more with just how beautiful she truly was. To her, it felt weird hearing him calling her Elizabeth when everyone always called her Liz, but she loved how her full name sounded on his lips. In a way it was as if, after having loved the girl, he was acknowledging the woman as well, and she loved how that made her feel.

Unable to help himself Max kissed her tenderly, brushing his lips repeatedly on hers in a sweet caress that had soon both of them begging for more. It wasn't long before Liz's tongue sought his desperately and Max was all too eager to give her exactly what she wanted. And more.

"Oh, my… you've got to be kidding me!" Liz pulled apart and laughed when she felt Max twitch inside of her. Once more.

She couldn't even comprehend how that was humanly possible or how he could think about going at it again when she had barely felt him deflating at all. Talk about having stamina, he would end up killing her if he kept that up. But well, it wasn't as if she really minded anyway, and she could certainly not think of a better way to go.

"I'm sorry!" Max mumbled, resting his face against her shoulder, and though Liz could hear the slightest shame in his tone, she couldn't miss the amusement either.

He couldn't help it if she drove him crazy and his body naturally reacted to her closeness, to her touch, to her kisses. He was just grateful he was still young and didn't have any problem '_lifting it up_' yet, otherwise he wouldn't be able to finish what he started. Ah, the joys of still being an healthy young man.

"I'm not… you feel so good inside of me!" Liz murmured into his ear, caressing his back soothingly and even if she knew he couldn't see it, she smiled wickedly when she felt him pulse inside of her in response to her statement.

"You feel so good around me!" his answer matched the seductive tone of her own words, and ever so slowly he started to roll his hips, barely moving at all really but enough to create a delicious friction that sent pleasure coursing through both of their systems.

"Love me again, baby!" she purred, pulling him to her and spreading her legs wider to better accommodate him. Of course she knew she could sound wanton and insatiable but she couldn't bring herself to care: they had months, maybe years to make up for, they should as well start right now.

"Slow?" Max asked softly, his lips almost immediately attaching themselves to her collarbone and burning hot kisses into her skin.

"Very slow… I want to savor and remember every second of it…" Liz confirmed in a long moan when Max trailed his tongue down to her left breast and then gently tugged on one of the hardened nipples that had been poking into his chest until then.

Before long, grunts and sighs filled the room again, mixed with the sound of their heavy breathing and the meeting of warm naked flesh as for the third time they surrendered to the passion and love they had always felt but had never dared unleash before that day. At times Max actually buried himself so deep inside of her, Liz truly believed he would end up touching her heart, but not once did he really pick up his pace. Like he had implicitly promised, he loved her gently, slowly, his lips and hands wreaking an endless havoc on her body at the same time, and for a blissful moment she stopped acknowledging anything else existed but Max Evans and the way he made her feel. In his arms, she forgot about the rest of the universe. Where they were and who was outside.

At least until they were interrupted by the janitor's shocked gasp.

**TBC...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, here is the final chapter of this story. Hope you like it as well. **

**Aveira, Demon-Lulu, Jenni78, thanks for the reviews. **

**Spacegal19, yep, I definitely recognized you lol, and to answer to your question, the sequel is still in the works, but I promise to leave a note on my thread at Fanatics as soon as I have a clearer idea of when I can post without leaving you hanging there between two parts for too long… life is just hectic right now, but I'll get back to you wink Thanks for reviewing here, too, even if you've read this a long time ago!**

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By the end of first period the next morning, the whole school was buzzing with the incredible news: two students had been caught going at it hot and heavy in the girls' locker room, and bets were already running about who those two could be.

By the second, some guys of the football team had revealed that Max Evans hadn't showered with the other players and that no one had any idea of where he had disappeared. Of course no one having seen him entering the other locker room either, they couldn't be 100 positive he had been there, but by the way he had blushed when all the eyes in his classroom had expectantly turned to him, there hadn't been much doubt about his participation after that. Consequently people were waiting even more eagerly to know then who his mysterious partner in crime could be and Tessa's name or Pam Troy's were even heard a few times while people speculated. Yet in the end they didn't have to wait long to know.

Around the time she got out of her second class herself, Liz had heard about every crazy theory and of course she couldn't help but smile each time a new name was thrown in. And like she had already predicted, no one thought about including hers in the game, but she guessed it only added more fun to the situation. She was pretty sure many would think they were hallucinating once they would understand she had been the one with Max the day before, and surely she couldn't say she didn't like the idea of throwing everyone off balance.

As she walked to her locker to retrieve her books for her next two periods, she came across none other than Tessa and Courtney and she wasn't even surprised to hear them giggling and snickering at her when she passed them by, sure that their 'master plan' had pissed her off big time and worked out just as they had wanted it. It was all too obvious they were pretty proud of themselves and Liz couldn't wait to see them being brought back to earth in the most brutal way. She just couldn't believe that they were stupid enough to not realize what was happening, considering she was sure they had to have heard all about the rumors as well. How could they be so dumb when they just had to do the math? Was it so hard for them to understand who had been with Max when they knew _she_ had been the only one to stay behind? Thanks to them.

It made her wonder where they thought Max's accomplice had been coming from. Did they think she had just appeared out of nowhere, fallen off from outer space, and just decided to have her way with the hot hunk who was showering there? Yes, dumb indeed, but she guessed she couldn't really hold it against them: they weren't exactly known for their intelligence, and what was more, they surely didn't think that Mousy Liz Parker could be of any threat to them or that she could satisfy Max in any way. Well, they would realize just how wrong they could be as soon as they would see her with Max.

If she couldn't wait to see him before, her patience was really wearing thin now and she knew she wouldn't be able to take this much longer, even if it wasn't only to taunt Tessa and Co. and get back at them. She _needed_ to see him, to be in his arms and just feel him, more than anything else in the world. Too bad it was a 'before-match' day, otherwise she would already have had the opportunity to see him. Unfortunately Coach Durham didn't joke about those things and as it was, Max had had to go to the hour of morning practice the old man imposed on them before every big event, hence her growing frustration.

Strangely, even when she knew she had no reason to, she was getting more and more nervous as the minutes passed and it was getting harder to not just run to the chemistry lab, where she knew Max would be, and wait for him there despite the fact that they had said they would meet at her locker.

Fact was she hadn't really been thinking clearly when that decision had been taken, _obviously_, otherwise she would have known that it wasn't the best solution. She had a valid excuse though if you considered how stressed she had been the previous night, and that for so many reasons. No wonder she had barely slept at all.

First she had gotten home sure that her father would already know about what had happened and that he would strangle her as soon as she would cross the house threshold, but surprisingly he had still looked at her like she was his precious and innocent little girl so she had assumed that Mr. Rodriguez had not warned the principal yet, fortunately, and she was all too glad about the short reprieve to question her luck.

She had still been caught up in the aftermath of their passion and hadn't wanted anything to ruin the still fresh memories of her moment with Max, and she had known all too well that her father would blow a gasket as soon as he would hear word of what she had done. She knew there wouldn't be so much he would be able to do concerning her relationship with Max considering she was an adult already, but still she was afraid he would _try_ to stop her from seeing him after their stunt, and she would never survive that if he did.

She hadn't regretted any of it though, even if she still had had a hard time realizing what had happened herself. Or more like truly believing it. She had made love with Max Evans. And god, he loved her. She knew that now as clearly as she knew her own name, she just couldn't comprehend how she could have been so blind all of those years, how she could have not seen it when it was clearly written on his face every time he looked at her. Well, at least she had been blind till that day. Maybe he had just tried too hard to hide it before and that was why she had missed it, but she wouldn't doubt it from now on.

Still, even knowing that and knowing how much what had transpired between them meant to him as well, she had been extremely nervous at the thought of seeing him again, and somehow had even been dreading the moment. She couldn't help wondering how they would both react once they would see each other the next day. If it would be awkward between them or not, or if they would just naturally catch up where they had left things and act like their lives hadn't just been changed forever.

The way they had parted had held so many promises, but who knew what the new day would have in store for them? She had been sure that Max would not change his mind about them overnight and surely not regret what had happened between them either, but she was just kind of afraid that once he would have had time to think it over, he would tell her that they were rushing into things too fast and that they should better slow down.

Well, _she_ didn't want to slow down. Quite the contrary in fact. Knowing how they felt about each other now only made her realize how much time and opportunities they had wasted stupidly, and the only thing she wanted now was to make up for it.

If you thought about it, it was insane how crazy she could be about the guy, really. Even more now that she had experienced what it felt to be kissed by him, touched by his hands, held in his arms. She couldn't get enough of him and if it had been hard to let him go after he had dropped her behind the Crashdown, the task taking them a good half an hour between heated kisses and whispered pleas for him to not go yet, after a few hours it had been pure torture not being with him.

But what could she say? Max Evans was simply addictive and she didn't think she would be able to go on without him after what they had shared.

She had debated a while about calling him then, needing to hear his voice more than ever at that moment, but not sure that was the right thing to do. After all she didn't want to come off all clingy after only a day, or look like one of those girlfriends who were over possessive and couldn't stay a minute without their men, but the urge had really been too great.

She had actually been nearly dying near the phone when it had rung, ending there the torture at last, but honestly nothing could have wiped the smile off her face once she had recognized his number, having memorized it a long time ago even if she had never used it before.

Her own voice had probably never sounded huskier than when she had picked up the phone and answered at that moment, but it was still nothing compared to his. God, that guy could just make her melt with two words. The things he had told her, the _way_ he had said them could drive any girl nuts she was sure of that, but she was glad he saved that tone only for her.

She had been even happier to realize that obviously she had not been the only one suffering from serious withdrawal. He got it as bad as she had apparently and he couldn't sleep more than she could because the only thing he could think about was seeing her and being with her again.

From what he had also said, he was bound to take baths for the rest of his life because he didn't think he would be able to enjoy a shower the same way ever again when he now had such a point of comparison. Of course he was certainly not expecting her to crack up at his predicament when he had admitted that the next shower he had taken at home, alone, had had no effect on him beside exciting him to embarrassing proportions, but what could she say? She loved knowing that she had marked him in such a way, maybe forever even, and that he would probably think of her every time he would enter a bathroom from then on, and so even when he had scolded her for being so mean with him and had told her that she should be feeling his pain and not making fun of him, she couldn't stop laughing.

They had had more serious moments, too, like when they had eventually talked about what had happened between them and where that left them, but it was so easy to talk to Max and she felt so comfortable with him that she had had no problem laying all her fears before him. And believe it she had had a few, even if he had instantly put a term to any fit of anxiety she could have had before she could even really start.

Of course she knew that they had done everything backwards, initiating an intimate relationship before even really beginning to know each other better, which usually wasn't the best way to start off and certainly not the best to last, but after talking with Max she had quickly realized that it didn't lessen in any way how they felt, what they thought of each other, or how important their relationship was for each of them. Maybe if it had been only sex she would have gotten more worried and questioned her behavior, but it had been so much more than that. It had been the most natural and most perfect thing she had ever done, the expression of a love so pure, so real, there was no stopping or denying it, even if the timing had maybe not been right, but who really cared? Certainly not her. Now they just needed to catch up on everything they still needed to discover about each other, but as long as they were together, she didn't care how long that would take them. She knew already enough about him to be sure that there would never be anyone else for her.

All in all, hearing his voice had really been like a miracle cure and after only a few minutes she had already been feeling better, even if of course it had still been nothing compared to what she knew she would have felt if she could have seen him instead. She hadn't wanted to complain too much though because any moment with him, whether it was seeing him or just talking with him was definitely worth it, and she had known she would have to make the most of what she could have. After all she was almost sure that her father would suppress all her phone privileges soon and probably keep track of her every move, once he would have been informed of their shower activities.

If Liz hadn't known already how sweet and tender a boyfriend Max would be, he had certainly proved it to her then. She didn't know how many times he had repeated to her that everything would be alright when she had all but whined and confessed how scared she could be of her parents' reaction and how it would affect their relationship. How many times he had told her that she didn't have to worry about that for now, or how long he had soothed her with his gentle and loving words, but after listening to him, she had been convinced that she had nothing to fear and that she could actually face anything that would come her way. Just because she believed in him, and because she knew that he would be with her every step of the road.

She didn't remember how long she had been talking to him, lying on her bed in the dark, sometimes calmed down and sometimes excited by his husky voice, or how long they actually could have gone on this way, but in the end it had taken her to receive another call for them to finally hang up, each time they had tried before that having been completely unsuccessful. And even then, the phone had beeped a countless number of times before Liz had managed to convince Max to let her take that second call. Of course there was no saying that she would have preferred to keep on with their sweet conversation, but considering how late it had already been when she had gotten the call, she had been almost instinctively sure that it had to be important.

She had been right. As soon as she had taken the other line, she had been greeted by a hysterical Maria who had of course bitten her head off for taking so long to answer, before proceeding to ramble about what an incommensurable prick Kyle Valenti was.

It had taken Liz a while to calm her down and understand what she had been trying to tell her, but when she finally had, she hadn't known if she should feel angry and want to strangle Kyle, or just laugh her ass off at the irony of the situation… even if after that she had at least understood better Max's need to know who had been her first and why he was so convinced she had already had sex before.

Nonetheless, she actually couldn't believe her ears when she had heard Maria telling her that Max had gotten into an argument with her dear ex because that idiot had insinuated that he had screwed her. Yes, _screwed_, because from what Maria had related to her, that could be the only thing it was supposed to be.

Apparently Sean, Maria's cousin, who had witnessed the whole scene had told her that Kyle had started picking on Max without any apparent reason but the thing had turned much more personal when Max had tried to ignore him. From what Sean had said, no one had really understood what it was all about other than there was a girl involved in the story. And whoever she was, Max had lost it when Kyle had mentioned her and they had even come to blows. Or more like Max had actually punched Kyle square in the face, while the other guy had just contented himself with another vicious remark.

In the end from what she had gathered, it hadn't turned out into a fight because Michael had restrained Max, who according to Sean had looked ready to commit murder, and because the coach had arrived at that moment, too… and well she knew what had happened next. Max had gotten out of there obviously and ended up in the girls' showers. With her. Much to her pleasure.

Now Liz had not needed to over think it to know who they had been talking about because even if Max hadn't said anything to her about that yet, there was no need for her to bother asking him to understand it had been because of her. Now that she knew of his feelings, knew that he had always loved her, she knew he would have never gotten into a fight for any girl but her, except maybe for his sister of course. But Isabel had never dated Kyle Valenti -or even less slept with him as far as she knew- so it only left one possibility.

Even Maria had figured that out, even if Sean hadn't been completely sure Kyle had really been talking about her. He hadn't really cared either in fact, he had just thought that since there was a chance it was her, she should be informed of what had happened, and seeing Maria's reaction to the news he had been pretty proud of himself, sure that it wouldn't take her long to go and give Kyle a piece of her mind. Yeah, well, it had always been pretty obvious to her that Sean didn't really like Kyle so she wasn't that surprised.

Still, if Liz was glad Max had defended her honor and her reputation like he had of course, she knew she wouldn't feel completely satisfied until she would have gotten back at Kyle herself, and she had found exactly what she could do for that.

She had thought it over and over and eventually decided that she would let him come to her like nothing had happened, thing that she was sure he would do sooner or later since he had to know that it wouldn't take long for the whole school to hear about his altercation with Max, and then she would tell him to get lost once and for all. After having messed with his head a little and given him a taste of his own medicine of course.

Or that at least had been her thought until she had to see him in the flesh. Now however, she watched Kyle walking to her and if it weren't because she knew she needed to do this, she would have certainly turned around and walked the other way. He made her want to puke, and not for the first time she found herself wondering how she could have gone out with that pig. Thankfully it hadn't compromised her relationship with Max or she would have never forgiven herself for that lapse of judgment.

Unaware of what was going through Liz's mind, Kyle smiled at her, that all too famous smile that was supposed to melt every girl's heart -as if- and she barely resisted the urge to just wipe it off his face right then, right there. Oh, but that would come soon enough, he could count on it.

Out of the corner of her eyes she spotted Max getting to his own locker and talking with Michael, and she knew he hadn't seen her yet, otherwise he would have been near her in a flash and _before_ Kyle could even reach her. She highly doubted he would appreciate to see Kyle so close to her, but after this, she would be done with that jerk, and then she would go and greet properly her new, and amazing, boyfriend. Boy, how she loved the sound of that. And what a sight her man truly was. It almost made her wonder what she had done to get so lucky.

"Hey, Liz!" Kyle greeted her nervously, not sure if she would be willing to hear him out and talk to him or not.

He had known there was a good chance Liz would hear about what had happened in the locker room yesterday, but he had certainly not counted on it happening so fast. And even less on Sean Deluca going and babbling every damned detail to his scary cousin, the last person in the world who should have known about that. It was a wonder she wasn't already after him trying to kick his ass. Again.

Not that it couldn't happen yet, but even when Sean had come to him and told him tauntingly that _he was so dead_, he had still hoped that Maria wouldn't have had time to repeat everything to Liz already and that he could do some damage control with her and give her his version before that. Maybe then he would have managed to come off as more innocent than he really was, but any illusion he could have had vanished however when he saw the dark sideway look Liz threw him almost as soon as he uttered his hello.

"Kyle." she muttered disdainfully as she continued to rummage through her bag and placed some books back into her locker, and that was enough for him to understand that he was even in more trouble than what he had first assumed.

"Look… I-I wanted to talk to you about something… I…" he begun hesitantly, wondering where the hell he should start. Not that she seemed to really care, considering she had barely spared him a second glance, but still he had to try something.

He almost wished she wouldn't have looked at him at all though, when she turned to him at last and her eyes set on his jaw. She looked interested, maybe even pleased, but definitely not utterly surprised.

"Nice bruise… I see he did a great job… I would have punched you harder though!" she commented offhandedly, indirectly answering his inward question, and took major pleasure in seeing him pale at her words. Well, if he had still had any doubts, she just dispelled them all.

"You know!" he mumbled defeated and almost cringed when he realized how ashamed he sounded. What the hell was he ashamed for? The only thing he wanted was to save his reputation because he had no doubt that if Liz revealed everything she knew about him, uncovered every lie he had said at one point or another, it would definitely be ruined. But beside that, he didn't care about what she could think of him, did he? "Liz… I…"

"Yes! I heard _all_ about it and you know what?… I _am_ a screamer… too bad you won't have any opportunity to see that for yourself… " Liz told him before he could even go further into his explications, going directly to the point herself. If he believed she would just as much as _really_ listen to anything he had to say, he was seriously deluding himself.

She had finally understood that everything that came out of Kyle Valenti's mouth could only be some lie or another one of his deformed truths. He didn't deserve her time, and he surely didn't deserve her understanding, even if she doubted that was what he was really searching for. She was pretty sure she knew what he wanted from her, but he had come to the wrong person this time. Once she would have finished with him, he would need more than a pretty nice body and a charming smile to score with the ladies.

"Liz… I didn't mean… I… " Kyle stuttered uncomfortably, already cursing himself for having even tried to talk to her then, in the hallway, in the middle of the whole school and where everyone could see him being rejected once more. Yet no matter how badly things had ended up between them, or _would_ now, he couldn't afford for her to hate him even more and talk.

"Kyle, I don't care… but it's a good thing I heard about it actually… I guess it just shows what type of person you truly are, and believe me I definitely don't want to have anything to do with that!" Liz declared sharply, piercing him with a glare that couldn't leave any doubt about how much he disgusted her, and then turned back to her locker, effectively dismissing him.

"Liz, wait… it wasn't like it looked like!… If you would just let me explain… can't we talk about it?" Kyle insisted, though he tried to keep his voice low so their conversation would remain at least somewhat private. He really didn't need anyone hearing him nearly groveling in front of her.

"I don't want to talk to you, Kyle… in fact, I don't want to talk to you _ever again_… From now on, you don't know me and I definitely don't know you… I don't think I ever did actually, otherwise I wouldn't have been stupid enough to go out with you!" Liz intoned even more decisively, and she immediately sensed the change in Kyle when he heard what he could only take as an insult. Gone was his puppy dog face, and she didn't doubt he would retaliate in a second. She just knew that whatever would get out of his mouth now would be meant to hurt.

It actually didn't take him long to prove her right, though that was not exactly what she had been expecting him to say.

"Right! 'Cause Max ' Freaking Saint' Evans is so much better than me?" he snarled meanly and Liz couldn't have hidden her shocked expression even if she had tried. How the hell could he already know about that? she wondered briefly before pulling herself together again and realizing that it actually didn't matter. Everyone would know soon enough so it didn't change a thing.

"What?…Do you think I didn't know all along about your obsession with him?" unaware of her thoughts, Kyle continued incredulously, thinking that Liz had to be seriously delusional if she didn't realize just how obvious she had always been.

"You don't know anything about Max or about what I feel for him! … if you did you'd know it's definitely not an obsession!" Liz countered once she understood that Kyle had not been referring to her present relationship with Max.

As for the rest, she didn't care one way or another if he had always figured her out anyway, it would only hurt him more in fact once he would realize that she finally had what, _who_, she had always wanted. And by god, she couldn't wait to see his face at that moment.

"What is it then, huh?" Kyle snorted defiantly, realizing only too late that he would regret having even asked. He so didn't need to know what she really felt for that idiot of Evans.

"Love… but you wouldn't know anything about that, Kyle, would you?" she demanded as a question but it was all too evident by her sarcastic tone that it didn't call for any answer. Kyle Valenti wouldn't know what that was even if it hit him square in the face.

"He wouldn't treat you better than I did, don't you think!" Kyle flung back, refusing to even answer to her statement. So what if he had indeed never really been in love, who cared? Who needed love anyway? Certainly not him. The only thing being in love did was to complicate everything and he was doing just fine with having just sex.

"I don't care about what you can think or say… this discussion is over! And you and I are done!" Liz concluded, the finality evident in her tone, which only caused Kyle to grow angrier, making him go so far as blocking her path when she tried to sidestep him and leave him on his spot.

"Yeah! If Evans is so perfect and so worthy of your fucking love… ask him where he was yesterday after practice… just go ahead and ask him… or better yet ask Tessa Harding!" he insinuated smugly, sure that if anything could get to her, this surely would.

Of course he wasn't at all convinced that Max was actually the guy who had been having hot wild sex in the girls' locker room, no matter what people said, and he had absolutely no more information than anyone else did either, but it didn't hurt to make Liz believe so. The only thing he knew was that so far Tessa had not denied the information, contenting herself with smiling at everyone who asked her, and though the smile seemed kind of forced as far as he was concerned, that was more than enough for him.

Now Kyle had been expecting many emotions coming from Liz, anger, sadness, hurt, maybe even disgust, but he had surely not been prepared for her reaction. Out of all the things she could have done, seeing her bursting into laughter unexpectedly had certainly been the last he had been waiting for.

What the hell was wrong with her? Didn't she realize what he was saying? It didn't matter that Tessa was certainly the last person in the world Max would do considering how much he seemed to despise the girl, chances were that he had been screwing someone else, and Liz, who he had been sure till that instant was crazy about the guy, didn't seem to care at all. Worse, she actually managed to find some fun to the situation. Either he had been wrong all along, or she had finally lost it for good.

"Kyle… oh, you poor thing… you're simply… _pathetic_… I know exactly where he was!" she revealed, having an even harder time containing her laughter when she saw what she meant finally registering on Kyle's face. God, she couldn't believe that he would stoop so low as trying to use those stupid theories people had been spreading ever since school had started, just to hurt her or make her think less of Max. Too bad it couldn't work this time, but she was glad he had tried. The way his eyes nearly bulged out of his head when he understood was simply priceless, and he was the only one responsible for his discomfiture. "Yes, you got that right!… He was with _me_!" she added simply, knowing that he would put two and two together and realize what it meant considering the rumors.

She was half-tempted to take pity on him and stop there with the torture when she saw his mouth open and close repeatedly like he was desperately trying to say something -maybe ask her if she was serious or whatever- and obviously couldn't find the words, but that was quickly forgotten and she instinctively quelled the thought when she remembered what he had said and how he had made her look in front of the whole football team. He deserved everything he was getting after that, and she knew that learning that she had giving in to Max so easily, when _he_ had never managed to get her to go past the first base actually, would definitely do the trick and hurt his ego in a way nothing else could.

Which didn't mean she couldn't rub it in some more, and she knew exactly what to say for that.

"What? Can't face the truth, Valenti?… _He_ got me first… and now _you_ can just freaking eat it!" she inflicted that last blow with an immense sense of pride, finding incredibly satisfying to see Kyle sputter like an idiot in front of her, and when she was sure that she had made her point and that from now on Kyle Valenti would think about it twice before trying to mess with her or actually spreading any lie about her ever again, she pushed him out of her way, and walked to the only man she wanted to be talking to right now. Although maybe _talking_ wasn't exactly the first thing she had in mind given that he looked good enough to eat.

---

Not surprisingly no one paid any attention to little Liz Parker when she walked up to Max, sure that she had to head for someone else, but he definitely couldn't see anyone but her. He hadn't been able to concentrate on anything else ever since he had spotted her down the hallway a few minutes ago. It was nothing unusual of course, it actually always happened more or less that way, Liz having been the center of his thoughts ever since he was old enough to understand what it was he felt, but today was different.

Today he knew that for once he wouldn't have to wonder what he could find to have a good reason to go and talk to her, only to lose his nerve the next second. He wouldn't have to restrain himself and reign on his need to be near her. He wouldn't have to stop himself from shouting his love to her. And he wouldn't have to stay away from her because he feared he would scare her with the intensity of his feelings for her.

No, today was a brand new day. The beginning of a new life for him. A life where he could do anything he wanted. Say anything he felt like saying, and he honestly had a few things in mind he wanted her to know. Though maybe right that second wasn't the best moment. Not if they wanted to live through the day.

He could only imagine where they would end if he had to tell her how much he wanted her, needed her at that instant, or just how much he loved her in red and how crazy that color on her could drive him. God, he had nearly died of a heart attack when he had seen her in those hips-hugging jeans and tight sleeveless shirt, her long dark hair completely loose and framing her perfect face, and at that instant he had truly been convinced that he was in love with the most beautiful girl in the world.

"Hey!" he mouthed softly as she finally joined him, and almost immediately reached for her, the urge to just touch her being unbearable already. It was actually only because he had not wanted to create a scene, sure that he would just wring his neck if he came too close to him, that he had managed to stop himself from going to her while she was talking with Kyle, and sweeping her into his arms before running to find a place where he could have his way with her.

He didn't know _what_ they had been discussing about, or what Kyle had wanted with Liz precisely today, but he would definitely have to remember to ask her about that later, moreover considering the short exchange he had witnessed. He had nearly lost it actually when he had seen Kyle blocking her way, and he knew it was only because Michael had been there with him then that it hadn't degenerated again.

"_Hey, relax… they're just talking, and she seems to be doing just fine by herself!_" that was what he had told him when he had seen him taking a step toward them. Well, Kyle 'Fucking Liar' Valenti could talk all he wanted, but _he_ would make sure that he wouldn't come too close to Liz ever again or hurt in any way.

He would have to find what to do about that later however, because right now the only thing he wanted was to concentrate on the beauty just in front of him.

"Hi!" she whispered back, smiling bashfully, which only made Max want to kiss her more. How she could still feel shy after what they had shared was beyond him, but there was no saying how cute he thought she looked when she blushed or bit her lip nervously.

"I missed you!" he breathed against her mouth, his lips grazing hers softly as his arms came around her waist and drew her to him. Man, he loved this girl so much that only one night away from her now that he knew what it felt like to actually _be_ with her seemed like a lifetime of pure agony!

"Missed you, too!" she answered huskily, her own arms wrapping around his neck and her body already pressing against his before their lips could even really meet in the good morning kiss they had both been waiting impatiently for.

Unaware of the looks they were receiving, or the shocked gasps their performance was eliciting, they kissed shamelessly in the middle of the hallway, only caring about the feel of each other. And what a feeling it was.

Of their own volition Max's hands cupped her behind, molding her body to his even more if that was possible, and with barely any coaxing on his part Liz naturally wrapped her legs around his waist, forgetting for a moment that they were absolutely not alone and that the entire school was in fact witnessing the hot exchange.

Max didn't notice any of his classmates actually. He didn't hear their comments or their whispers either, so consumed he was by Liz, kissing her like it was actually the first time he did it, or maybe like he thought it would be the last, and it was only when the voice of the principal boomed across the hallway, with the clear intention to force them to pull apart, that they came back to reality.

"Evans! Parker! No one needs a repeat of yesterday night… In my office! _Now_!" Mr. Forrester yelled, startling many students, but just barely catching Max and Liz's attention.

If it weren't because breathing was slowly becoming vital, they would have certainly kept going at it without a care in the world, even if they had definitely heard him.

As they parted however, Liz finally noticed all the eyes set on them and she blushed profusely, hiding her reddening face into the crook of Max's neck, and barely refrained from groaning out loud at the sight. She had definitely not planned to lose control like that, but Max Evans had that power over her. He made her forget that anything else existed.

Of course she knew that she should feel mortified by her own behavior or be more concerned by the fact that the whole student body now had the answer to the question that had been running through everyone's mind since the morning, or that they had all pretty much figured out what exactly the nature of her relationship with Max was by then, yet no matter what, the embarrassment wasn't enough to make her regret the exhibition, or the mind blowing kiss they had just shared. Not more than Max could obviously.

Without letting go of her, he followed the principal, smiling proudly at whoever met his eyes, even when they were looking at him like he had just lost his mind. He didn't care about what they could think or say, he was all too happy to show everyone, and more particularly every male around, that Liz belonged to him.

"Are you not going to put me down?" Liz asked softly, arms and legs still tightly wrapped around Max's body, but not finding the position uncomfortable at all.

Quite the opposite in fact. Each step he took pressed his all too obvious hardness to her core a little more, and she suspected that that was part of the reason he couldn't let her down. It would become all too evident how much she affected him if he did. Yet the thought of everyone -or rather every girl who at one point or another had tried to make a move on Max and failed- noticing what she only could do to him thrilled her in a way nothing else could. She _wanted_ them to see, wanted them to know that Max was off game now. He was hers, and she had no intention to let him go. Ever.

"Nope, didn't plan to… I kind of like having you in my arms, Liz Parker!" Max replied tenderly, repeating the words he had spoken just the day before and knowing now more than ever that he would never tire of having her this close to him. He missed her, _craved_ her too much when she wasn't for that to happen.

Liz smiled lovingly at him and then couldn't help kissing him sweetly, blissfully oblivious to the angry stares they were receiving from the principal who couldn't believe they had followed him that way, like they didn't even realize how much trouble they were both already in.

Liz Parker and Max Evans were usually model students and he couldn't understand what had gotten into them to end up doing what they did. He had not wanted to believe it at first of course when only a few minutes ago the janitor had come to him and related the incredible story, sure that the poor guy had been hallucinating and had just imagined the scene. After all he didn't think that any student would be crazy enough to do something like that inside the school premises, knowing that anyone could come and stumble upon them.

He had even less wanted to believe then that Max could be involved in any way, though Mr. Rodriguez had been adamant that if he hadn't been able to identify the girl, he had clearly recognized the young man and knew all too well who he was since being captain of the football team didn't exactly permit to go unnoticed. Yet he had been forced to face reality when he had caught him red-handed in the hallway, making out with Liz Parker of all people like the rest of the world had suddenly vanished and their actions had absolutely no consequences.

As if the day before performance wasn't enough, huh? He didn't know what they were thinking about, if they were thinking at all, but surely he had not expected them to put on another show after having been caught once already. What did they imagine? That they would get out of this one without any problem? If that was so, they were seriously deluding themselves because it was evident that he would have to inform both their parents, even if there was no saying how much he loathed to do so. Nonetheless, if what they had done couldn't go unpunished of course, _how_ he would deal with them was still another story.

If it had been anyone but them he would have not even thought about it twice and kicked them out of his school, but you couldn't exactly expel two honor students like them without taking account of their background. They had never given him any grief before that, therefore even if he would still have to discuss their sanction with their parents, the only thing he could think about right now was a temporary suspension and long, _very_ long hours of detention.

Now even knowing that he had to be more comprehensive with them if only because this was the first incident they both caused, he was slowly starting to wonder if they deserved his indulgence at all nonetheless. Either they didn't realize what they were doing, or they had decided to just piss him off today, he thought looking at them.

He was actually ready to blow a fuse when Max only let go of Liz when they reached his door, like the girl wasn't even able to carry herself alone. And even more when he saw them entering his office hands in hands, the smiles etched on their lips like they had done nothing wrong at all, and at that instant he promised himself he would find a way to wipe them off their faces, if only to show them who the boss was here and make sure such thing wouldn't occur ever again. No matter how much in love they seemed to be, that couldn't constitute any valid excuse to him. There were rules and they had to be respected, by everyone.

Outside, not long after the door closed behind the two of them, the murmurs slowly died, most people realizing that since the show was finally over, they should better go back to their business again and pursue with their daily routine. They were sure they would hear more about it anyway since it wasn't exactly every day that two students were caught making love at school, and it would only make more noise considering who it was: Max Evans, the guy who had never seemed to show any interest in girls before, and Liz Parker, Miss Science Geek herself and who was well on her way to be valedictorian this year. Or at least she had been until this instant, but now who knew if she would even still be there by the end of the school term to pronounce her speech. Many thought that this was actually the last time they would see Max and Liz at Roswell High, even if most didn't really care about their fate one way or another. They just seemed to have loved the scandal the incident had created, but as soon as it died down they had no problem getting back to their own boring lives.

In a few minutes so, the hallways had cleared and it was almost like nothing had happened at all. Almost. Only Alex seemed unable to act like it or just tear his eyes off the principal's office.

He stood near it with his mouth hanging open, until one of the school secretaries asked him what the heck he was still doing there and that was all it took to snap him out of his trance. As far as he was concerned -and as much as he wanted to know what was happening with Max- he really didn't feel like paying a visit to Mr. Forrester himself.

"Damn, I so knew it was her!" he muttered as an afterthought, wondering why the hell he hadn't put some bet on Liz Parker's name when he had known how high the chances she was Max's secret love were. That would have been easy money. Damn, _double damn_, he could be so stupid sometimes.

"I so knew he just needed to get laid!" Michael, who had joined him by then and witnessed the whole scene as well, retorted smugly before wrapping an arm around his shoulders and dragging him to their next class.

Alex looked at him like he had gone crazy, thinking that all his friends had finally lost it, but despite his teasing remarks and his apparent cool attitude, Michael honestly had a hard time believing himself that his quiet best friend could have changed so much overnight and actually gone so far as making out with whom he assumed would now be his very official girlfriend after having being his secret dream girl for so long, in front of everyone, no less. Worse, that he had actually 'made love' to the girl - fact that he knew was indeed true since he had questioned Max about it almost as soon as the rumors had started flying and he had confirmed it- and that they had been literally caught in the act, but apparently didn't give a damn about that either. Yet he would have to be completely blind to not see that Liz Parker was not only what Max had always wanted, but what he had always needed as well: in all the years he had known him, he didn't remember having seen Max so happy or so carefree before and he was actually ecstatic for his friend. He just hoped their little early morning exhibition and their shower rendezvous wouldn't cost him too much.

But damn, who would have thought Max Evans had it in him, huh? Surely not him.

When lunch break came, Max and Liz entered the commons like they had not even just spent the last two hours in Mr. Forrester's office with two set of parents mighty pissed at them, or like they didn't even mind that that was still nothing yet compared to what would be waiting for them at home when school would be over.

Many students had heard Jeff Parker cursing Max Evans all the way to hell and swearing he would kill the boy if he ever came anywhere near his daughter again, when passing near the administration. Daughter that by the way would be grounded for the rest of her life according to what he had also said, but at that instant, it was obvious to everyone that the threat had not mattered at all to them.

Anyone with eyes could see how much they cared about each other or how happy they were, the way they clung to each other, Max's front plastered to Liz's back with an arm lovingly wrapped around her shoulders, leaving no doubts about their feelings or their closeness. It was a wonder they managed to walk at all that way actually, what with them exchanging sweet innocent kisses every other step - proof that they could do that, too, apparently- or Max nuzzling her neck when he wasn't kissing her lips, but no one could deny how cute they looked together or what a breathtaking couple they formed. No, not even the most jealous of them could contest that point.

It didn't mean they appreciated seeing them together for all that of course. It was all too obvious on their faces or by the nasty remarks some couldn't help but mutter as they passed them by, but Max and Liz were heedless of them. Heedless of anything but each other.

Liz actually felt like she was floating on a cloud. She loved all the attention Max showered her with, even if she had been surprised at first to notice he didn't seem to care about the public display of affection. He couldn't keep his hands off her, not that she minded of course, but knowing his shy nature, she had really thought he would be more discreet in the open. Of course their extremely hot meeting in the hallway that same morning should have been a dead give away to her, but she had just assumed it was a one time occurrence, something done on the spur of the moment because he had missed her just as much as she had, and because he had a hard time believing himself that they had finally overcome all the obstacles to be together at last.

Yet nothing, not even his confrontation with her father, had changed his attitude. Not once during their conversation, if what had happened with him could be called a conversation of course, had he released his hold on her. All the while in fact, he had gripped her hand tightly, refusing to let go of her no matter what. And through it all, he had held his head high and stood up to him no matter what her father had thrown at him, and she didn't think she could have been prouder of him at that instant.

Oh, it hadn't gone smoothly, far from it, but though they had both conceded that what they had done had been foolish and had gone against every rule of the school and that for that they were ready to face the consequences, Max had made a point to make her father understand that this wasn't some game to him and that he was absolutely not playing with her or trying to take advantage of her like he had accused him of. He loved her, he had said that loud and clear in front of everyone and not once had he wavered or showed any insecurity. Not when her father threatened to end off his life right that second if he just as much as opened his mouth again, and not even when the rest of the parents had snorted at the words and asked him what he knew about love.

He knew enough, he had proved that to Liz more than once since their 'shower escapade' and only for that she had backed him up in everything he had said, even when she had been scared shitless to see her dad so angry not only at Max but at her as well, or when Mrs. Evans had looked at her like she had just stolen her precious baby away from her and she would never forgive her for that.

Now Liz wasn't stupid and she knew they had a long road ahead of them considering how badly they had started off with both their parents, but they would go through everything together and that was all that mattered. It seemed incredible, even to herself, that she could feel so sure and secure about their relationship when it had only been a single day, but she didn't doubt its strength anymore, not for a second. She had always known that if Max could love her if only as much as she did love him, nothing, and _no one_, would be able to come between them. She would never let that happen and Max had just proven to her that he wouldn't either.

That was why she couldn't worry about what her parents would have in store for her when she would get home. No matter what they said, it wouldn't make her doubt the rightness of her feelings or reconsider her relation with Max. And so right now, more than ever actually, she just wanted to enjoy his warmth and his love. Soak up everything he had to offer and forget about everything else. She would deal with the consequences of their actions when the time would come.

However, she had to admit that it wasn't the only reason for her giddiness and that she kind of enjoyed being the center of attraction as well for once. It was evident that she and Max were the main topic of conversation but she honestly didn't mind, quite the contrary. Some people's reactions were so funny that all the trouble they were in was worth it if only for that.

At first she had thought that the best moment was when Pam Troy had come to them and with a disbelieving look on her face had asked them if they were '_like_ together now'. In answer Max had almost immediately pulled her protectively to him when he had felt her tense near him -thing that had become almost instinctive every time that girl came too close to her- and after throwing Pam a duh look had simply told her that she and the rest of the school could get used to it because it was indeed true, and that if she wanted to spread the news, for once she was welcomed to do so. No need to say that Pam and all the little puppies who always followed her everywhere had nearly chocked on their own breaths of course, but Liz herself could honestly have just laughed her ass off at their incredulous or simply jealous expressions.

Yet if that had sure been priceless in and of itself, she had been wrong because the high point of the day was certainly when, after explaining to Max how she had been locked up in the equipment room the day before and how that had played a part in the following events, she and Max had passed by Tessa and had both thanked her, _in front of everyone_, for her generous cooperation and the way she had helped them so selflessly, insisting well on the fact that if it weren't for her and her '_brilliant_' mind -insert sarcasm here of course- they would have probably kept ignoring the evidence and wasted an incredible amount of time.

Liz really thought that the girl would just keel over and die right at their feet after that, but she couldn't care less about what could happen to her: in the end she had achieved the most beautiful revenge possible, and she hadn't even had to work _that_ hard for it.

**THE END.**


End file.
